Bilfer, I 100% agree with everything you just said…

Now if only we could get some relief pitching….

You’re overstating the defensive problems. The Tigers will give up 30-40 runs of defense at third base with Cabrera there over Inge. But Renteria will not be worse than Guillen was last year and is likely to be better. The addition of Cabrera’s bat more than offsets this.

And it’s not like a third baseman is able to cover for a sub par defender at shortstop anyways – I don’t care how good he is defensively. This is coming from a staunch advocate of Inge’s defense.

Nope, just a guy who knows the value of good defense at third, especailly when a team uses a shortstop that has neither the range nor even the inclination to try to get to anything that isn’t hit right at him.

I grew up watching Aurelio Rodriguez vacuum up balls over at the hot corner and rifle them to first or second while hitting for roughly the same average as Inge but with far less power. About the only regular third baseman I can recall playing for Detroit in my lifetime that combined a good stick with a good glove was Fryman. Since we don’t have him, I’d much rather see Inge’s defense over there saving us from Renteria than Cabrera letting even more balls get through.

I just hope Jacque Jones’ legs are in good shape, ’cause he’s gonna need to be doin’ a whole helluva lot of running out there in leftfield to get to the stuff the “Defenseless Duo” lets get through them this season.

What good is adding 200 runs to a team when it means giving away 300?

Brandon needs to stop talking, as he’s only creating a more negative perception of himself. As Ron Burgundy would say, “why don’t you sit a few plays out, champ”. I’m sure Brandon is hurt and frustrated, but at the end of the day, he is a professional getting paid to do a job. It’s fine if he wants to request a trade, but there aren’t many takers in March for a .240 hitter that plays great defense. That’s not anybody’s fault. But it’s up to Brandon whether or not he wants to complain or cause tension. And other teams don’t want those guys in their clubhouse, either.

I hope he feels better getting these things off his chest, but he’s only hurting himself by doing so.

They may be able to hit but the “Defenseless Duo” on the left side of our infield will cost us far more than they’ll produce for us. Look for ERA’s to be a full run or more higher for the Tigers this season between the left side ineptitude and Carlos Guillen’s many episodes of leaving the bag at first to try and make plays better left to
Polanco.

Unfortunately I don’t believe his heart will ever be in either of those roles. He has backtracked off of his comments, but I think those early comments reflect how he truly feels.

He doesn’t want to be a distraction, but given the media coverage and the raging debates in blogosphere I don’t see how this situation won’t continue to be a distraction on what otherwise should be a glorious year.

Here is to hoping he either gets traded, or we all stop talking about it….

In other news, didn’t the Tigers make a couple of trades this offseason?

Inge would be do well, given his sentiments, to impose a moratorium on talking to the press until he sorts things out in his own head. Otherwise we’re going to keep hearing a sort of “Jekyl and Hyde” performance from him.

Inge will, I suspect, remain a fan favorite for all he’s given the team. He’s earned it by playing hard when the team was awful. Now that it’s loaded with talent, it really doesn’t need him any longer. He’s not good enough to start for Detroit but too good to be a utility man long term.

When he is traded, I suspect he’ll still get cheered when he takes the field at Comerica, even it he’s in a different uniform.

If I was an athlete my answer to every question would be “both teams played hard.”