Brandon Inge is a pretty honest guy. He made it known that he wasn't pleased this offseason with the possibility of his diminished role. He's upfront about his belief that he's an everyday Major League third baseman. And on Saturday, while surrounded by a group of media that included yours truly, he let it be known that the Tigers aren't really this bad.
Now, if only it were a little easier to believe him.
Inge pointed out on Saturday that he was here in 2003, the last time Detroit started a season this poorly. They ended up finishing that season pretty poorly too, with a club-record 119 losses. Brandon pointed out that the reason that team played so bad to start the year was because they were, well...bad.
"Those teams were just not very good teams, and we were battling just to even win a game or two here or there, and this is not a team like that," said Inge on Saturday. "We're just going through a little low stretch right now, and everything get's compounded because it's the beginning of the season, but we just got to sit back, relax, and have fun. We're all one family here...and it will get accomplished."
Comforting words for Tigers fans, and certainly an attitude that fans and players alike still believe; but the numbers so far this season are pretty disheartening:
The Tigers are last in runs scored in AL. Their pitching has the highest ERA of any AL team. Magglio Ordonez has yet to drive in a run, while Miguel Cabrera's only RBI came off a solo homer on Opening Day.
The stats aren't good, that's for sure, and the old adage about a lineup being good on paper but not translating to the field is certainly ringing in Tiger's fan's heads right now.
After that 13-2 embarrassment last night on national television, Jim Leyland said he was not going to close the doors and yell at his team, and that a players-only meeting probably wasn't necessary either. I agree. This is a veteran ball club with plenty of guys with proven track records. They know what the score is; what they have to do to get a win in the big leagues. The perplexing part is right now no one is doing what they're expected to do.
Except for Brandon Inge. Right now, the guy who was supposed to be a super-sub for this team leads them in Home Runs and RBI's. Nothing like your job getting threatened to pull some performance out of a guy who everyone, including him, knew could've done better last year.
I'm not calling for anyone to be benched yet, and I'm not saying the sky is falling either. Like every other Tiger's fan, I'm concerned about the team right now, but still hopeful for the rest of the season. But what I can say is that only six teams in MLB history have started this poorly and still made the playoffs, and the Tigers have a hole to crawl out of to be lucky number seven.
Apparently $138 million dollars doesn't buy you as much as it used to.
Now, if only it were a little easier to believe him.
Inge pointed out on Saturday that he was here in 2003, the last time Detroit started a season this poorly. They ended up finishing that season pretty poorly too, with a club-record 119 losses. Brandon pointed out that the reason that team played so bad to start the year was because they were, well...bad.
"Those teams were just not very good teams, and we were battling just to even win a game or two here or there, and this is not a team like that," said Inge on Saturday. "We're just going through a little low stretch right now, and everything get's compounded because it's the beginning of the season, but we just got to sit back, relax, and have fun. We're all one family here...and it will get accomplished."
Comforting words for Tigers fans, and certainly an attitude that fans and players alike still believe; but the numbers so far this season are pretty disheartening:
The Tigers are last in runs scored in AL. Their pitching has the highest ERA of any AL team. Magglio Ordonez has yet to drive in a run, while Miguel Cabrera's only RBI came off a solo homer on Opening Day.
The stats aren't good, that's for sure, and the old adage about a lineup being good on paper but not translating to the field is certainly ringing in Tiger's fan's heads right now.
After that 13-2 embarrassment last night on national television, Jim Leyland said he was not going to close the doors and yell at his team, and that a players-only meeting probably wasn't necessary either. I agree. This is a veteran ball club with plenty of guys with proven track records. They know what the score is; what they have to do to get a win in the big leagues. The perplexing part is right now no one is doing what they're expected to do.
Except for Brandon Inge. Right now, the guy who was supposed to be a super-sub for this team leads them in Home Runs and RBI's. Nothing like your job getting threatened to pull some performance out of a guy who everyone, including him, knew could've done better last year.
I'm not calling for anyone to be benched yet, and I'm not saying the sky is falling either. Like every other Tiger's fan, I'm concerned about the team right now, but still hopeful for the rest of the season. But what I can say is that only six teams in MLB history have started this poorly and still made the playoffs, and the Tigers have a hole to crawl out of to be lucky number seven.
Apparently $138 million dollars doesn't buy you as much as it used to.
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