Detroit Tigers’ Brandon Inge facing tough times – MLB News
According to sources, Tigers’ Brandon Inge was the last Tiger to arrive on the reporting day. These days arriving on time on reporting day isn’t good enough. Baseball players are more pro active than they were in 1980’s and 1990’s. In fact, no official ceremony,
no official sign in and assigning of locker rooms on the reporting day take place. The players show up for practice sessions well before the expected time.
Miguel Cabrera and Tigers’ brand new first baseman Prince Fielder have been practicing at the Tigers’ training facility for last three days. The pitchers including Justin Verlander have also pitched once or twice as part of their training programme ahead
of Spring Training 2012. Verlander was named the 2011 American League Most Valuable Player of the Year and his presence in Lakeland before the official reporting day explains why turning up for training is more important than it used to be a decade ago.
Inge, who has asked General Manager Dave Dombrowski to consider him as a second baseman, is certainly not making his life easy. Considering his current situation, it will not be wrong to say that he is not helping his own cause. Inge was asked to sit on
the bench after the Tigers assigned Miguel Cabrera third base duties earlier this year. The Tigers had to make this move after they acquired Prince Fielder on a nine year $214 million contract at first base.
Right after Tigers announced that Cabrera will be playing third base, Brandon Inge expressed his disappointment at the situation. Inge played third base for the Tigers last season to achieve descent results. Not only he is a good hitter, Inge sets high standards
for himself in left field.
Tigers’ manager Jim Leyland has also shown interest in offering Inge second base in the upcoming season. However, a lot will depend on Inge’s performances in Spring Training. He will have to show Leyland that he is determinated to win a place on Tigers’
roster. To live up to his fans’ expectations, he will be looking to make the most of available opportunities in 2012.
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