Tigers' Brandon Inge isn't helping his cause

**Brian** · 02-23-2012, 09:33 AM

Lakeland, Fla. -- Baseball has reached the point that being on-time to spring training no longer translates into being on time.
Early is the new on-time.
Getting into the cage with your teammates before position players can officially report is being on time.
Grabbing a glove and trotting out to the position you're switching to, as Miguel Cabrera has done at third base, is being on time.
Being the last Tiger to arrive, however, only attracts attention. Officially, you're on time when you report on reporting day — which is today for the Tigers.
There's no ceremony to reporting day — no official sign-in, ceremonial unlocking of the doors. For the most part there's not even reporting anymore to reporting day.
Because the players are usually settled in by now.
The pitchers have thrown once or twice by now.
The hitters have gotten in several days of work by now.
Then there's the case of Brandon Inge — still not on the premises at Joker Marchant Stadium by the time the players were filing out on Wednesday.

Tigers' Brandon Inge isn't helping his cause | The Detroit News | detroitnews.com

**RedRamage** · 02-23-2012, 09:37 AM

Can't disagree with this. Especially if you want to try out for a new position, get there early and get the work in.

**Brian** · 02-23-2012, 09:40 AM

I believe it was Yoda in another thread who said Inge is a selfish player. You don't have to look much further than this artical to see that.

The funny thing is he hasn't done squat for a while. So I don't know why he's acting like a 2 year old.

**Yoda** · 02-23-2012, 09:40 AM

I like to bash Inge as much as anyone but this is much ado about nothing... Are the position players doing anything other than basic calisthenics and BP?

**Biff Mayhem** · 02-23-2012, 09:44 AM

Originally Posted by Yoda

I like to bash Inge as much as anyone but this is much ado about nothing... Are the position players doing anything other than basic calisthenics and BP?

I'd agree with you if Inge weren't trying a new position. There may be behind-the-scenes issues at homes with the kids or something like that but I would suspect that Inge knew about the reporting date and should have had all of his affairs in order.

**caseyo4** · 02-23-2012, 10:04 AM

Ugh, I'm have to say Lynn Henning makes a point on Twitter about Inge probably wanting to spend a few more days with this sons. I totally would understand that. It's not like he hasn't been busting his *** all winter working out (Barwis).

**tiger337** · 02-23-2012, 10:07 AM

It doesn't seem like a big deal to me. Gage is not one to make waves though, so he might know that the team is not happy about it. Or maybe it's just a slow news day.

**Eric Cioe** · 02-23-2012, 10:10 AM

I hate that players can be expected to show up early, and if they're not early and just show up when the contract says so, they're late.

Think about it in terms of an hourly job. "Dear Eric, could you come in at 7 tomorrow? There's a good deal of work to be done. Of course, you won't be punching in until 8, but we'd appreciate it, and if you show up on time, we'll be mad."

**shauntacular** · 02-23-2012, 10:12 AM

lol that's the attitude at like... my previous three jobs.

**catswithbats** · 02-23-2012, 10:12 AM

Is this supposed to be a huge deal or...? I guess I just don't care.

**Mr. Bigglesworth** · 02-23-2012, 10:18 AM

I want you to get this **** where he breathes! I want you to find this nancy-boy Brandon Inge, I want him DEAD! I want his family DEAD! I want his house burned to the GROUND! I wanna go there in the middle of the night and I wanna PISS ON HIS ASHES!

**John_Brian_K** · 02-23-2012, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Eric Cioe

I hate that players can be expected to show up early, and if they're not early and just show up when the contract says so, they're late.

Think about it in terms of an hourly job. "Dear Eric, could you come in at 7 tomorrow? There's a good deal of work to be done. Of course, you won't be punching in until 8, but we'd appreciate it, and if you show up on time, we'll be mad."

FTR: I doubt the Tigers organization gives a crap that Inge is reporting on time and not early. Lynn henning is not Inges boss. Neither are we. Neither is anyone else not named Leyland, Dombroski or Illitch.

**roarintiger1** · 02-23-2012, 10:33 AM

I'm guessing that he doesn't want to get burned out too fast.

**CaliforniaDreaming** · 02-23-2012, 10:40 AM

How do we know that he isn't back here in MI taking 2,000 ground balls a day at 2B getting ready for the season? He may kinow that he will get more done here than if he reported early where he would be tempted to golf every afternoon. I'm not saying that is what he is doing, but this article could use a lot more research behind it.

**Tim Mitchell** · 02-23-2012, 10:43 AM

If I had a "new job"...position... I would be at work when my team members were.
If I made 15 grand a DAY, Id be at work when my team members were.

**davidsb** · 02-23-2012, 10:49 AM

Maybe he just forgot?!

**Biff Mayhem** · 02-23-2012, 10:53 AM

Well, according to Leyland at the Prince presser, he was off camping. Perhaps his mobile phone didn't have a signal out there in the woods.

**Mr. Bigglesworth** · 02-23-2012, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by Tim Mitchell

If I had a "new job"...position... I would be at work when my team members were.
If I made 15 grand a DAY, Id be at work when my team members were.

I suspect if you were making 15k a day 6 years running, the effectiveness of the 15k as a motivator would diminish considerably.

**catswithbats** · 02-23-2012, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by Mr. Bigglesworth

I want you to get this **** where he breathes! I want you to find this nancy-boy Brandon Inge, I want him DEAD! I want his family DEAD! I want his house burned to the GROUND! I wanna go there in the middle of the night and I wanna PISS ON HIS ASHES!

Awesome.

**john doe** · 02-23-2012, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by Eric Cioe

I hate that players can be expected to show up early, and if they're not early and just show up when the contract says so, they're late.

Think about it in terms of an hourly job. "Dear Eric, could you come in at 7 tomorrow? There's a good deal of work to be done. Of course, you won't be punching in until 8, but we'd appreciate it, and if you show up on time, we'll be mad."

This'n,yep!

**alwaysthrowheat** · 02-23-2012, 11:04 AM

I'm the first to rip on Inge, but this is a complete non issue. Set the deadline earlier if you want him earlier.

**Brian** · 02-23-2012, 11:11 AM

These guy's text each other all the time. I'm sure Inge got the memo and chose not to reports.

**mmwatkin** · 02-23-2012, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by Eric Cioe

I hate that players can be expected to show up early, and if they're not early and just show up when the contract says so, they're late.

Think about it in terms of an hourly job. "Dear Eric, could you come in at 7 tomorrow? There's a good deal of work to be done. Of course, you won't be punching in until 8, but we'd appreciate it, and if you show up on time, we'll be mad."

Except that MLB players aren't paid hourly. If you were a highly paid salary employee that was working on a new project and all of your team members were showing up early to start on it, you better believe that your organization and coworkers wouldn't think too highly of you not doing the same.

**lesgoblu02** · 02-23-2012, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by mmwatkin

Except that MLB players aren't paid hourly. If you were a highly paid salary employee that was working on a new project and all of your team members were showing up early to start on it, you better believe that your organization and coworkers wouldn't think too highly of you not doing the same.

Then don't set a report date if it's just going to be some arbitrary day.

**rhino** · 02-23-2012, 11:32 AM

I don't know, I don't like Inge, but until Leyland, Dombrowski or Illitch come out and say they are disappointed he isn't there yet, I really can't get on Inge for this. I would bet money JL or DD knew he wasn't going to be early and gave it the OK.

**Chopper** · 02-23-2012, 11:51 AM

He is on time so what is the point? If he was missing the bus for an exhibition game then there would be a problem. Slow news day is a no news day.

**thefunk** · 02-23-2012, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Brian

These guy's text each other all the time. I'm sure Inge got the memo and chose not to reports.

You're ridiculous.

The whole opening post of this thread is ridiculous, and the article originally written is ridiculous.

How soon before the "Brandon Inge skips his pre-game dump, takes it during the 7th inning stretch" article?

**DTroppens** · 02-23-2012, 11:56 AM

I'm not helping my cause as a great Tiger fan. I have yet to make my first post about Tigers' spring training.

**john doe** · 02-23-2012, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by thefunk

You're ridiculous.

The whole opening post of this thread is ridiculous, and the article originally written is ridiculous.

How soon before the "Brandon Inge skips his pre-game dump, takes it during the 7th inning stretch" article?

This.

**Tim Mitchell** · 02-23-2012, 12:18 PM

The people from the city of Detroit historically have not taken to kindly to what they perceive as a nonchalant-ish attitude. Perception is everything.

**Sven Draconian** · 02-23-2012, 12:28 PM

Inge is 34 years old, and this is what, his 13th or 14th camp with the Tigers (counting his minor league years). Does anybody really think that reporting 3 days early, hitting the bars with his teammates and doing some token Batting Practice is really neccessary?

**The Truman Show** · 02-23-2012, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by Sven Draconian

Inge is 34 years old, and this is what, his 13th or 14th camp with the Tigers (counting his minor league years). Does anybody really think that reporting 3 days early, hitting the bars with his teammates and doing some token Batting Practice is really neccessary?

Because he is not a very good player but has been around for a while, he must submit to our standards of satisfactory extra effort.

**rhino** · 02-23-2012, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by Biff Mayhem

Well, according to Leyland at the Prince presser, he was off camping. Perhaps his mobile phone didn't have a signal out there in the woods.

That could be, maybe it's spring beak for his boys and this is his last chance to spend an extended time with them before the long season starts and they decided to go camping for the week.

We can find plenty of other stuff to bash Inge about, I don't need to bash him for this.

**Biff Mayhem** · 02-23-2012, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by rhino

That could be, maybe it's spring beak for his boys and this is his last chance to spend an extended time with them before the long season starts and they decided to go camping for the week.

We can find plenty of other stuff to bash Inge about, I don't need to bash him for this.

I was more referencing the "happy camper" comment but I don't disagree with what you said.

**catswithbats** · 02-23-2012, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by Brian

These guy's text each other all the time. I'm sure Inge got the memo and chose not to reports.

This seems like a bit of a stretch.

**CapitalTigers** · 02-23-2012, 01:33 PM

Inge should be there early. Equivalent of showing up 15 minutes early for a job interview. Show you care and want it.

**jonjd** · 02-23-2012, 01:37 PM

.305 career OBP.

Be at work early. Like January.

**Mr. Bigglesworth** · 02-23-2012, 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by CapitalTigers

Inge should be there early. Equivalent of showing up 15 minutes early for a job interview. Show you care and want it.

I doubt the Tigers' evaluation of Inge will hinge on him being there 15 minutes early.

Side bar: Apropos of nothing, I've been involved with interviewing candidates for over 10 years. Never once did the fact an interviewee was early for the interview influence the hiring decision. It has when someone was late. But I don't think Inge is late to camp.

**alwaysthrowheat** · 02-23-2012, 01:40 PM

The insinuation that because he is not in Lakeland "early" that he was not working on his game somewhere else makes absolutely no sense. It's not like he's sitting on his couch eating doritos.