(although I don’t like it as much as “Pudge-Drunk Love”)

(and I’m surprised no one else thought of it).

Brandon Inge career stats:

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/pl.....9lLjCFCLcF

Oh, and the team hasn’t been trying to actively trade him since spring training. They did in the spring when he didn’t want to catch. Once Vance Wilson was out for the season and Inge came around on catching I think those talks shelved.

Those are all valid points — although I don’t think it’s a strong argument comparing Inge to Varitek — the obvious difference being Varitek is a career .788 OPS guy with a career .264/.347/.444 line. So Varitek is obviously having an off year this year — maybe he’s done — who knows? but Inge’s one “career” year looks more like Varitek’s entire career. It will be interesting to see if Boston resigns Varitek. I doubt it so long as Boras is pulling the strings.

Carlos Ruiz is still too young to tell whether this is just an off year or not (in 2006 and in 2007 his production was considerably better) and frankly, I don’t quite understand how Jeff Mathis still has a job in LA. He and Napoli share the job — and between the two of them, they do kind of put up adequate production for the position. Napoli has pretty decent power which compensates somewhat for Mathis and for Napoli’s horrible average. I can only assume it’s a position the Angels are trying to address in the future, either within their own system or elsewhere.

In any case, Inge is very likely past his prime, so there is no real reason to think Inge will be substantially better in 2009 than he has been this year. I agree with you if the Tigers fall short this year it won’t be because of lack of offensive production from the catcher spot — but I’m not so sure the same will hold true if the Tigers fall short in 2009.

I’m sure Inge is going to be our catcher next year, so I hope I’m wrong. But I somehow get the feeling his already dismal offensive skills are heading in one direction … which could be a problem for the 2009 team.

I wouldn’t be opposed to trying to sign Pudge or a guy like Gregg Zaun for a one year deal in 2009 (although Pudge probably won’t agree to a one year deal — and I’m sure some team will offer him a longer contract).

I have no idea who the team could get for one year given the free agents available — maybe guys not too much of an upgrade over Inge — but all I’m sayin’ is why assume the position is locked up by August 1, 2008? I think the organization should keep all options on the table.

I’m going to assume you haven’t seen Jason Varitek’s numbers this year. Jeff Mathis in LAA has numbers comparable to Inge. Carlos Ruiz in Philadelphia is worse in almost every way.

The top teams in MLB are very consistently trotting offensive chopped liver out there at the Catcher position. Anyone who isn’t doing so happened to have a great prospect at that position who came out of their system (Soto, Martin, Navarro (who the Dodgers traded to the Marlins for Guillermo Mota, IIRC)). There’s not much else the Tigers can do, and Pudge probably wasn’t going to be back next year.

Again, if the Tigers fall short this year, it won’t be because of lack of offensive production from the Catcher spot.

Thanks Pudge.

I was afraid you were going to say that. I just don’t like it. I will give Inge credit for improving his OPS this year — and if he can maintain that line in 2009 I would agree it would be adequate production (for that position) and it would be an okay plan — but it just seems that whenever Inge has a slight blip in offensive production everybody is too quick to jump on the wagon, wanting to believe that somehow, someway Inge has turned a corner and what we’ve seen in the past few months is what we’re gonna get.

And then everybody backs up this almost delusional-kind of fandom by pointing to his career-year numbers. It’s like, “…see! see! Inge is good! He’s a 27-year HR guy…” But that’s akin to expecting Magglio to hit .368 every year with 139 RBI and Matt Joyce to hit a home run every 9 AB…

I’m just not confident Inge can sustain what is now just a passable OPS when he continually hoovers just above Mendoza and whiffs at an alarming rate. Which begs the question: if Inge is good enough to be the Tigers starting catcher in 2009, why don’t any other teams want him? The organization has been presumably trying to trade him since spring training — a lot of teams have needs Inge could fill, including teams that need a catcher — and yet no other team is biting. Grant it, there may be other reasons underlying why the Tigers couldn’t deal Inge — but I think the primary reason is most teams (contenders anyway) view Inge as a bench player.

Other questions: is Inge good enough to succeed Posada in NY? They very likely will need a catcher next year — is Inge good enough to play in Boston, LA, or where ever? He was a perfect fit for the Dodgers, who needed a 3rd baseman — yet they didn’t bite. Why is Inge automatically good enough to be the Tigers catcher in 2009?

I think the next 60 days should be a “trial period” before the organization automatically gives Inge the job in 2009.

This makes a lot of sense to me.

(I’d have to give a big edge to Ryan; Dusty Ryan is a catcher-sounding name, but Skelton?…)

I had one, but Inge confiscated it during spring training. You’re lucky he didn’t find out about yours.

Of course he is. And Carlos will be our Left Fielder, Thames will be the Everyday Left Fielder, Inge will play 3rd as much as possible, and you gotta find a way to get Raburn in the lineup more often. So obviously that leaves Inge as the starting catcher, and either Sardinha or Sheffield as the backup.