| Brandon Inge | |
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| Detroit Tigers – No. 15 | |
| Third baseman | |
| Born: May 19, 1977 Lynchburg, Virginia |
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| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| April 3, 2001 for the Detroit Tigers | |
| Career statistics (through 2011) |
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| Batting average | .235 |
| Home runs | 139 |
| Runs batted in | 587 |
| Hits | 1,081 |
| Games played | 1,399 |
| Teams | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Charles Brandon Inge ( /ˈɪndʒ/ inj; born May 19, 1977 in Lynchburg, Virginia) is an American professional baseball infielder for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws right-handed.
Sportswriter Jayson Stark described Inge as a "super-utility dervish."[1] In 2006, his diving stop and subsequent throw from his knees to put out Gary Bennett in an interleague game, on June 25 against the St. Louis Cardinals earned him the ESPN defensive play of the year for a third baseman.[2]
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Inge played baseball at Brookville High School in Lynchburg, then attended Virginia Commonwealth University, where he was a shortstop and relief pitcher. He was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 2nd round in the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft.
Initially assigned as a catcher, Inge struggled offensively in his first three seasons. After the Tigers signed free-agent Iván Rodríguez in 2004, Inge played in the outfield, catcher and at third base, batting .287 with 13 home runs that season.
He started 159 games at third base in 2005, and led all AL third basemen in errors (23), assists (378) and double plays (42).[3] In 2006, Inge exceeded his 2005 totals with 398 assists. That number broke the Detroit Tigers single season record for assists by a 3rd baseman (previously 389 by Aurelio Rodríguez in 1974) and was only 14 short of the all time MLB record for assists by a third baseman (set by Graig Nettles in 1971). Only five third basemen (including Graig Nettles, Brooks Robinson, and Mike Schmidt) have collected more assists in a season than Inge.
In 2006, Inge showed power during the first half, with his 17 home runs tying for the team lead. His slugging percentage was .463 and he placed third on the Tigers with 47 RBIs.[4] After the All-Star Break, he raised his season average from .221 to .253 and finished with 27 home runs.[5]
Inge became expendable at third base after the Tigers acquired Miguel Cabrera in a blockbuster trade with the Florida Marlins.[6] Inge asked management to trade him to a team where he would have a chance to be an everyday player. However, a deal was never made, and the team stated that he would be used as a utility player for the 2008 season.[7] Inge reported to spring training early with the pitchers and catchers. He was named the opening day center fielder after Curtis Granderson was placed on the disabled list.
With the absence of backup catcher Vance Wilson, Inge filled this role for the 13-time Gold Glove winner Iván Rodríguez. Inge took over the catching position full time after Rodríguez was traded to the New York Yankees on July 30, 2008.[8]
On September 27, Tigers manager Jim Leyland announced that he would move Inge back to third base for the 2009 season.[9]
Inge opened the 2009 season as the starting third baseman for the Tigers. He started the season by successfully reaching base 24 games in a row, the longest such streak for the Tigers since 1976.[10] Through the first half of the 2009 season, Inge led the team in home runs with 21[11] and was named to the All-Star team.
Having received a record 11.8 million votes in the Final Vote, Inge was selected to his first All Star Game, joining teammates Curtis Granderson, Justin Verlander, and Edwin Jackson on the American League squad. Inge participated in the Home Run Derby and became the eighth player in the history of the Derby to not hit a single home run.[12]
Inge underwent surgery on both of his knees on November 3, 2009. He attended a strengthening and rehabilitation program during the winter. He made a full recovery in time to play midway through spring training, and started at third base on Opening Day of the 2010 season in Kansas City.[13]
On July 19, 2010, Inge was hit on the left hand by a pitch. X-rays revealed a non-displaced fracture of the fifth metacarpal. Doctors said it would take 4–6 weeks to heal,[14] however he returned two weeks later.
On August 26, 2010, Inge achieved his 1,000th career hit against the Kansas City Royals.
On September 25, 2010, Inge set the Tigers franchise mark for strikeouts with 1,100.[15] In the same game however, Inge had the game winning hit in the 13th inning against the Minnesota Twins.
At the conclusion of the season, Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski announced plans to re-sign Inge to a multi-year contract.[16]
Inge received the 2010 Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award, given by the Major League Baseball Players Association each year "to the player whose on-field performances and community outreach most inspire others to higher levels of achievement."[17]
On June 3, 2011, Inge was placed on the 15 day disabled list with mononucleosis.[18] In 239 plate appearances with Detroit in 2011, he recorded a .177 batting average, before being designated for assignment on July 20.[19] He was outrighted to Triple-A on July 26.[20] In his return to the Tigers on August 20, Inge went 2-for-4, hitting a home run in his first at-bat and driving in two runs, en route to a 10–1 win over the second-place Cleveland Indians.[21]
Inge currently resides in Saline, Michigan.[22] In August 2009, Inge received two tattoos, one on each forearm, on a West Coast road trip. The tattoos are the names of his sons, "Chase" and "Tyler".[23]
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