Detroit fishwrap comment of the day - All bloggers are negative and "Real fans" support Inge

The Brandon Inge story, and the fan reaction to it, refuses to go away. As much as everyone would like Inge to become a non-story, the MSM refuses to let it go.

Inge isn't helping matters with his clumsy "I hate catching" and "I didn't mean I actually HATED catching" comments to the media. The more he talks, the the deeper he digs himself into a self-made hole.

At Mlive today, Danny Knobler writes a very disjointed article about Inge. He touches on Inge's comments, many fans being upset while others are enthusiastic in their support, his playing center field, and where Jim Leyland would play the bipolar sounding Inge next.

That's where I found the COTD. A commenter named huskytiger takes all those who think Inge needs to shut up and play to task, especially bloggers, by calling them "negative."

The two previous comments point out that most bloggers tend to be negative. However, the fact that most fans who attend the games are supportive of Inge, as they should be. He has played his heart out for the Tigers for 7 years. My belief is that the majority of Tigers fans like Inge but don't blog as they are membors of the "silent majority" It reminds me of a few years ago when one of the area papers did a survey on a member of the Tigers which showed that the majority supported the individual. A blogger wrote that the survey had to be wrong, all you had to do was read the blogs to see that most people didn't like him. Again, the majority don't blog, the most negative "fans" tend to.

This chubbycat character hits on a couple of my pet peeves. One being the overblown claim that "Bloggers are always negative." Not to forget the old chestnut, "Real fans aren't critical of their team."

Fatbengal claims he's part of fandom's "silent majority?" I prefer the more truthful "sheep." Maybe the more esoteric "lemmings."

I blog because I LOVE the Detroit teams. I blog because I learned long ago the teams, and the media that covers them, are full of shit, and discovered the world wide web has much more compelling, non sugar coated sports commentary. In fact, I'd consider the vast majority of bloggers to be much more knowledgeable than the average fan. They watch all the games, read all the articles, dissect personnel on the field and front office, and know enough to take anything said by the teams, and the media, with a huge grain of salt.

Think of it this way...

In pro wrestling, fans are either "marks" or "smarts." A mark, more or less, buys into wrestling storylines, not caring or knowing enough to delve any deeper than what they see on TV every week. On the other hand, a "smart" knows all the behind the scenes shenanigans, locker room brown nosing and script doctoring that goes into deciding who wins and loses a match.

You can say much the same about Detroit sports fans. You have your fan who believes everything they have spoon fed to them by the pro teams and MSM. They are the "fans" who think Matt Millen is just a couple of players away from making the Lions a contender, are convinced the Pistons can trade Lindsey Hunter, Jason Maxiell and a draft pick for LeBron James, claim Chris Osgood is a great goalie because he's "cute" or think Pudge Rodriguez had a good year because "He hit .281!"

They also believe in unicorns, pixie dust, and think reality television isn't scripted.

Then you have the bloggers and "internet fans" who question a team's front office for making questionable roster moves, call out the media for being lazy and know Pudge Rodriguez had an awful season thanks to an abysmal OBP of .294.

If that makes me "negative," so be it. It also makes me a knowledgeable fan with a voice, one not afraid to use his bully pulpit.

And this fan with a voice thinks Inge needs to clam up, sack it up and play where he's asked. Is that negative enough?

Above the fold - Brandon Inge has worn out his welcome

Does it seem as if Brandon Inge wants to burn every bridge he has left?

First, we hear Inge doesn't want to come off the bench, he thinks of himself as a starter. He's no longer a "super-sub,' at least in his mind. So the Tigers agree to trade him. Simple enough. Or so we thought.

So much for a simple trade. There's a snag. No one wants to trade for a $6 million a year black hole on offense without the Tigers eating a great deal of his contract and accepting never-gonna-be's in return. Thus, Inge grudgingly agrees to play wherever the Tigers ask. He does make it a point to remind the Tigers and the media he'd much rather be traded so he can start.

The Tigers ask Inge to catch. He does so...But he bitches and moans to the media the entire time that he hates catching, claims it affects his (already weak) hitting, and LOVES 3rd base. He loves it soooo much! Obviously, Jim Leyland and the Tigers notice.

Trying to keep him happy, the Tigers acquiesce, and Jim Leyland says he won't make Inge catch if he doesn't want to do so. All is well, right? Wrong. Inge is still unhappy.

So here's where we stand. Inge wants to be traded. The Tigers would LOVE to accommodate him, but no one wants a .240 hitting corner infielder with an inflated sense of self. The fans, once squarely behind Inge, have turned against the once fan favorite. Those fans, struggling to get by in a Michigan economy leading the nation in every NEGATIVE economic indicator, have grown weary of the very well paid Inge and his very public pouting. When your fans are having their homes foreclosed and jobs disappear, I think being a tad more appreciative of your situation would be appropriate.

All this has me asking, who in the Hell is running the team? From all accounts, it's Brandon Inge. The Tigers seem to be bending over backwards to meet his demands.

And our esteemed Tigers bloggers have noticed...

Kurt @ Mack Avenue Tigers:

I have to admit, I may have supported Inge, but I’m sorta sick of his attitude, too. It’s time to catch or play backup or whatever it asked. Make yourself a good team player, and maybe a team will want you. But what kind of team wants a guy who doesn’t even want to be on a contender? If anything says “doesn’t want to win,” it’s that. And frankly, I don’t need guys like that on the team I root for, either.

Eno @ Where Have You Gone, Johnny Grubb:

But he's becoming more of a sore thumb, and doesn't appear to particularly care about that. Strange behavior for a quote-unquote team guy, if you want to know.

I've been around long enough to know that when a guy starts planting the seeds for failure, then he's already halfway there. At least.

Billfer @ The Detroit Tigers Weblog:

I guess I just don’t understand what Inge is hoping to accomplish with these statements? Is he trying to expedite a trade? It seems that might work, but that the Tigers might be less interested in trying to find him a starting gig and might just want him gone. Try being a back-up on a team with little chance for the playoffs.

At the same time he isn’t endearing himself to potential trading partners by complaining. Maybe, and I think this is a strong possibility, is that Inge didn’t really think this through.

Mike @ The Daily Fungo:

Ridding themselves of the bitter Inge is probably a bigger priority than Dave Dombrowski is letting on. And the guess here is that if he does deal Inge you can bet it will be for more than spare parts.

Ian @ Bless You Boys:

Yet while it's certainly more interesting to read candid statements than hackneyed cliches, Inge is toeing a thin line between being appreciated for his frankness and being perceived as kind of a whiner. And there are already some who view him as a malcontent and potential clubhouse cancer. (I think there's quite a way to go before I join that mob.) Detroit sports fans can turn on a guy fast. Ask Bobby Higginson.

Even the biggest Inge backer of them all, Samara @ Roar of the Tigers, can't believe what she's hearing:

But the problem here with Brandon Inge and catching is simple, and I hate to admit it, but he admits it himself.

His mind is too tiny to handle catching and hitting at the same time.

He said it first! He freely admits that the mental stress of catching and hitting all in the same game is too much for him to handle. It’s not that he can’t catch, or that he can’t hit (last season notwithstanding): his brain just can’t contain the two concepts at once

There isn't a more even handed, level headed group of sports bloggers than the Tigers bloggers. Hell, I'm more profane, reactionary and knee-jerk than all of them combined. Yet everyone is condemning Inge for his actions. He's no longer getting the benefit of the doubt. His actions speak just as loudly as his words, and both are saying "I WANNA PLAY 3RD BASE!"

We all have a soft spot for Brandon Inge because he's one of the few survivors left from the ugly era of losing we'd all rather forget. He's the longest tenured Tiger, and up to this season, as been a team first player. You cannot forget his charity work with U of M's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. Inge is part of the community.

But just as other fan favorites have eventually gone by the wayside(Craig Monroe and Mike Maroth, to name two) because they just weren't good enough, or fit in with this new era of Tiger baseball, it's time for Inge to move on as well.

I wanted to buy into Inge taking on the super-sub role, and his taking over at catcher in 2009. Now, I'm counting the days till some sucker takes Inge off of the Tigers' hands.

This team is too good, with too much at stake, to put up with Inge's "You can't make me catch, I wanna play 3RD BASE!" shenanigans. Even if the return is pennies on the dollar, he's got to go.

Inge has had his time to voice his displeasure. It's time to shut the fuck up, and play where the Marlboro Man asks. If that's too much for him to handle, bitch in private, don't take it to the media.

I don't want to hear it anymore.

Above the fold - Inge, Inge, Inge

Just as the always put upon Jan memorably complained about her sister on The Brady Bunch with the bitter chant "Marsha, Marsha, MARSHA!", we (being me, myself, and I) here at TWFE cry, "Inge, Inge, INGE!"

Thus the 24 hours of Inge continues at TWFE with a tour around the Tigers blogosphere.

Just like the unwashed fan rabble, the Tiger bloggers have somewhat mixed feelings over the Inge situation (I think it's safe to call it a "situation") as well. The blogging elite believes Inge is best suited for the role of super-sub, but aren't exactly happy with his crying like Nancy Kerrigan did after getting poleaxed in the knee. "WHY? Why me?!"

We start at Roar of the Tigers, where Sam is awfully upset at just the thought of Inge moving on...

Brandon Inge leaving would make ME kinda like a kicked puppy. SAD FACE.

But Sam perks up knowing that this controversy too, shall pass.

Hopefully this news about Inge agreeing to report to Spring Training as a catcher is a sign that all his sulkiness has been sulked out, and he’s ready to suck it up and be the goofball team player we all know he can be again. I don’t mind a little sulkiness in the winter. But come summer (early spring, whatever), all that junk should be purged from everyone’s systems.

Factoring in the age and injury history of several Tigers, Inge may be get the playing time he desperately wants. Even if he doesn't get 600 AB's, if the Tigers win, and win plenty, methinks Inge doth complain little... Winning cures all.

At The Daily Fungo, Mike is at DEFCON 1, bunkered down and doing his best to avoid the drunken, obnoxious hordes of Massholes and New Yawkers invading Arizona for the Super Bowl. Despite the crisis in the desert, Mike emerged long enough to take Inge to task for his "woe is me," "I wanna start" attitude.

Bottom line: At 30 you’re as good as you’re gonna get. Your successor is, perhaps, approaching his peak.

You do the math.

So, leave the attitude in South Carolina and go to Lakeland with a more cheery disposition, won’t you?

I agree, enough is enough. It's one thing to complain about losing your job to someone you think isn't as good a player. But that doesn't fly when you are talking about losing your job to a young superstar like Miguel Cabrera. He would start at 3rd for all but 1 or 2 teams. even that might be a stretch.

If Inge bides his time, he'll be back in the line up as a starter in 2009. It'll be at catcher, but he'll be back in the starting 9...

Billfer looks at both sides of the Inge coin at The Detroit Tigers Weblog. After weighing both the good and the bad, Inge accepting a bench role, and the Tigers keeping him, is the best possible resolution for all involved.

As for what it means for the team, this settles any ambiguity about what will happen if Vance Wilson isn’t ready. The Tigers also have a player they can stick all over the field and get some solid defense. It also gives Brandon a chance to re-establish some value for either a future starting gig or a possible mid season trade. This is pretty much what had to happen for both sides, and I’m glad it’s working out.

The catching issues is what clinches keeping Inge for me. The Tigers have no depth behind their rapidly aging, declining and very highly paid incumbent, Pudge Rodriguez, and his 34 year old, Tommy John surgery recovering backup, Vance Wilson. It can't be repeated enough. There is no MLB caliber catching in the Tigers system. None. Zip. Nada. Nil. With Inge, even if he's not totally happy about it, there is now a catching safety net.

At Bless You Boys, Ian is all for Inge staying with the Tigers, even if Lynn Henning isn't happy with Inge never calling him back...

Somewhere, Lynn Henning is jumping up and down, and tearing papers into shreds. "What? Why didn't he tell me? I called him two dozen times! This is the epitome of rudeness, Mr. Inge! Bad form!"

Bad form, indeed! A golf clap for Mr. Casselberry please, for knocking our sometimes holier than thou media down a couple of pegs. Hopefully we'll see no more hissy fits disguised as columns from Henning.

As always, Tiger Tales looks at the Inge "situation" logically. That logic tells Lee that Inge moving back to a utility role is very good news...

This is good news as he can be a very valuable supersub filling in at catcher, third base and outfield. With his athleticism, it's also possible he could occasionally play other other infield positions. He would be especially valuable if Vance Wilson is not ready to return from Tommy John surgery at the beginning of the season. With this possibly being Pudge Rodriguez's last year as Tiger and with no replacement ready, it is also conceivable that Inge could become the team's starting catcher in 2009.

The logic of Inge's athleticism being used to it's fullest as a uber-utility man seems to have been grasped by EVERYONE but Brandon Inge himself.

That's "Above the Fold" for Tuesday, 1-29-08! It also brings to an end the "24 hours of Inge." (Well, more like 22 hours, but who's counting?)

Detroit fishwrap comment of the day

The 24 hours of Inge on TWFE continues... But is there anything else going on the D right now?

When it comes to Brandon Inge and Tigers fans, there's no gray area. It's like or loathe, love or hate. There's no middle ground. You either love him more than life itself, or despise him with the intensity of a white hot sun on the verge of going supernova.

Look up "polarizing" in the dictionary, and you'll see Inge's picture.

Which is why the COTD is actually 2 comments from Jon Paul Morosi's conversation with Inge from the Freep, allowing us to see the extremes of Tiger fandom.

First up is densogirl, who wants to inflict bodily harm upon the Tiger that causes such conflicting emotions...

Brandon Inge just doesn't get it. His emotional intelligence is that of a grade-schooler. "I just want to play; it's not fair; doesn't matter how much money I make, I just want to play everyday." Give me a break, doesn't every guy want to play every day? Everyone guy in the minors or riding the pine in MLB would kill to play every day. He still can't admit that his offense is atrocious and he wants to work on it. Not a word about that weakness in his game or that no other team wants him because of that weakness and his huge salary. You don't see him offering to take a lower salary, however. Just shut-up Brandon, and put your money where your mouth is. Every time he whines like a baby, I feel like slapping him silly.

Going by the nickname, that's a fan of the female persuasion wanting to bitch-slap Inge, folks. Even the chicks want Inge to shut the Hell up, and play.

On the flip side of Inge fandom, we have higginson (Is that really you, Bobby? Where's the best strip clubs nowadays?), who takes the Inge haters to task. To the many fans upset by Inge's whiny stance to coming off the bench, higginson points out all the good things he brings to the team...

I'm fine with Inge wanting to play. If he didn't all you bashers would be griping about that. It really sounds a bit "holier than thou."

Is he selfish? He played C, 3b, OF whenever they asked him to. He felt that he established himself as a starting 3b (and based on his contract, the Tigers did too) and he was caught off guard and disappointed by losing his starting job. I don't think he's said anything that any other player wouldn't say in the same situation. I bet once he's had a chance to digest the this, he'll be fine.

Who knows, maybe being the "super utility player" will help him relax at the plate and hit better (hey you never know). But more likely he's going to be able to rest players at just about every position and if there's an injury, he'll be a very good "fill in". If Shef goes down again, Cabrerra can DH and Inge can cover 3b.

Look, the Tigers are stacked with offense...we know Brandon lacks that. But his athleticism and ability to play other positions is where his value is...oh yeah, and he seems to be a great guy in the locker room and around the community.

Keep your chin up Brandon...if you stay in Detroit, you'll be a big part of this puzzle and you'll have plenty of opportunities to contribute...this could be the role you were designed for...

Go Tigers!

All very good arguments in favor of Brandon Inge remaining a Tiger, but it doesn't matter. The Inge lovers will never convince the Inge haters. Never. They may tolerate Inge, but will never, ever embrace him.

It's amazes me that the biggest water cooler story involving the Tigers isn't the trading for Edgar Renteria, Miguel Cabrera, or Dontrelle Willis, or the purging of the farm system in order to acquire those players. It's not Detroit's payroll skyrocketing over the $120 million mark, or the extending Jim Leyland's contract.

The story everyone is talking about is the status of the longest tenured Tiger, an athletic 3rd baseman who hit all of .236 in 2007, and will be a utility man in 2008. If that doesn't show just how fanatical the fans are regarding the '08 Tigers in the D...

Pros and cons: Should Brandon Inge stay or go?

With the news that detente has been achieved between the Tigers and Brandon Inge, it appears he is now back in the their good graces for 2008. The Tigers have asked Inge to accept a super-utility role, and be paid $6 million in the process. Inge wasn't exactly happy, if you go by some of his comments to the media...

"I'm bitter, mad and frustrated"

“I didn’t ask to be put in this position. I don’t have to be happy with it.”

Despite being quite vocal in his unhappiness, Inge said he would accept a (highly paid) utility role for the good of the team. In turn, the Tigers say they will still entertain trade offers, but would rather he remain in Detroit.

After all the drama, mostly manufactured by the local media, all is again well in Tigertown. For the time being, anyway...

Personally, I like Inge as a player. I'm all for his wearing the Olde English D next season. But he's no longer the starting 3rd baseman for a reason, and not just because Miguel Cabrera is now a Detroit Tiger.

As I had such fun debating the merits of Shaun Rogers with myself last week, and Brandon Inge tends to be just as polarizing of a personality as Big Baby is to Detroiters, I felt that another round of "pros and cons" was in order. Let's begin...

Pro: For every Inge highlight reel catch like this...

Con: We see an error like that...

Pro: Inge can legitimately play all 9 positions.
Con: It doesn't make a difference how many positions you can play when you hit .236.

Pro: Inge is the best athlete on the Tigers.
Con: It doesn't make a difference how good an athlete you are when you hit .236.

Pro: Inge wears his socks high.
Con: It doesn't make a difference how high your socks are when you hit .236.

Pro: Inge is the best defensive 3rd baseman on the Tigers.
Con: It doesn't make a difference how good his defense...Screw it, you know the rest...

Pro: Inge has the best range of any 3rd baseman in baseball.
Con: Which gives him an opportunity to boot even more grounders.

Pro: Inge has the best throwing arm on the Tigers.
Con: But not the most accurate. Just ask the fans in the 1st base line box seats who take cover whenever a ground ball is hit to the left side.

Pro: Inge is a very solid defensive catcher.
Con: The Tigers had to threaten Inge with bodily harm, or a trade to Pittsburgh, to get him back behind the plate.

Pro: Inge has 20-25 home run power.
Con: While striking out 150 times.

Pro: Inge desperately wants to start, and you have to like that attitude in a player.
Con: The Tigers aren't quite as desperate, as Inge hit .236 as starter.

Pro: Inge essentially replaces 2 bench players due to his versatility.
Con: While most bench players are just happy to be on a major league roster, Inge is NOT happy. Period.

Pro: Inge is a fan favorite, much in thanks to his being a survivor of the dark, dark 119 loss days of 2003.
Con: So were Mike Maroth and Craig Monroe, and we know what happened to them...

Brandon Inge, reluctant Tiger

Brandon Inge finally cleared the air with the Tigers, and spoke to the media today, much to the relief of Lynn Henning and David Mayo. An uneasy truce now exists between Inge and the Tigers, as it appears all attempts to get similar value in trade for their former starting 3rd baseman have been exhausted, and Inge has agreed to step into the super-sub, uber-utility man role.

According to the Freep's Jon Paul Morosi, Inge isn't all that happy, but won't make waves.

Inge didn’t hide his frustration at losing his job as Detroit’s starting third baseman – “I’m not happy about it,” he said multiple times – but said he would accept a super-utility role.

“I want to play as much as possible,” Inge said. “I don’t care about the money. I want to play because I care about the game and I love playing. I can’t stand sitting on the bench. I don’t care if it’s third base, first base, catcher, outfield – if anyone needs a day off, I want to get as many at-bats as I can.

Inge is looking at this the wrong way, thinking of this as a demotion. If anything, it makes him more valuable than ever to the Tigers. I'll bet that Jim Leyland treats Inge as the 10th starter, so to speak, and will play him most every day, while giving someone a day off. 400 AB's is not out of the question. The super-sub role worked well with Inge in 2004, and it worked even better with Tony Phillips in the 90's. I don't see why it couldn't work again.

I went back and looked at the positions Phillips played when he was bouncing all over the field, and doing so effectively, from 1990 to 1994. (I'd forgotten just how good Tony Phillips was as a Tiger. His lowest OBP was .364 in 1990, with a high of .443 (!) in 1993)

1991 was the apex of Phillips' maneuverability: OF-56, 3B-46, 2B-36, SS-13, DH-18, getting 564 AB's.

In 2004 Inge was quite Phillips-like: 3B-73, C-39, OF-28 (Including 19 games in CF), getting 408 AB's.

In my mind, that's an EXTREMELY valuable player.

WHAT? Come off the bench? For $6 million a season?
I'm insulted! But if you're gonna make me...

Inge will never be as good at the plate as Phillips, but he's even more versatile in the field thanks to his ability to catch. That ability may also be Inge's ticket back into the starting lineup. With backing off his previous stance, and now willing to don the tools of ignorance, I'm thinking that Inge will be the Tigers starting catcher in 2009.

Obviously, this depends upon Inge not getting traded, and Pudge Rodriguez continuing to decline, and/or pricing himself out of the Tigers plans.

It makes too much sense. Inge is still under contract for 3 more seasons. He's proved capable defensively behind the plate. His career averages of .240, 16 HR's and 66 RBI aren't acceptable for a starting 3rd baseman, but as a catcher? With today's diminished offensive expectations? That's better production than most MLB teams get from their backstops.

You have to believe if Inge remains on the roster, the Tigers are thinking exactly the same thing.

Morosi brings up another interesting topic. If Inge is on the opening day roster, who's the odd man out?

Inge’s role on the club should remain an intriguing storyline throughout spring training. Prior to the acquisition of Cabrera, the Tigers’ bench seemed likely to include Wilson, utility infielder Ramon Santiago and outfielders Marcus Thames and Ryan Raburn. Now that Inge has effectively joined that group, club officials could be faced with a difficult decision for the final roster spot.

We know how much Leyland loves the glove of Santiago, and the power of Thames. I think they're safe. Thus, 1 of 2 things will happen. Inge starts the season as the number 2 catcher, and Vance Wilson goes on the DL, as he may not be fully recovered from Tommy John surgery. It's not a long-term solution, but it buys time in order to trade/send down/cut someone.

Barring a trade/injury/act of God or Leyland, the likely move, unfortunately, is Ryan Raburn starting the season in Toledo, as he has an option left. He doesn't deserve it, as Raburn did nothing but hit the ball hard in 2007. But that minor league option is something the other bench candidates don't have.

But we're getting waaay ahead of ourselves, as it will all shake out in spring training. All I can say is this...

With Brandon Inge remaining a Detroit Tiger, with all the flexibility he brings them, they are a better team today than they were yesterday, when Inge was on the trading block.