Brandon Inge May Be In Oakland, But Still Taking Shots at Tigers

By Sean Gagnier
@SeanGagnier 

It took Brandon Inge until nearly the end of April to record his second hit of the season for the Detroit Tigers, but after being released from the team last week Inge signed with the Oakland Athletics and in his debut went 1-for-3.

While the A's lost to the Boston Red Sox 11-6, it was a good start for Inge who had struggled in his nine games in Detroit this season. During his time with the Tigers he only recorded two hits; a double and a two-run home run. Inge will turn 35 this season and now that he is playing with the A's he is with his first new ball club in 12 seasons.

When the Tigers released Inge they still were on the hook to pay him the remainder of his contract, $5,308,743, but when Oakland signed him to a contract they agreed to pay $412,000. A deal for a veteran third baseman that they desperately needed.

After finding out that he had been released Inge said all of the right things to the Detroit media, he hugged Manager Jim Leyland and thanked the club and the fans for all of the good times that he had in a Tigers uniform. That good will didn't seem to last though as his tune changed in a recent interview with the Detroit Free Press.

"It was frustrating, because I has 20 at-bat's. Twenty at-bat's is nothing. Twenty at-bats is not even enough time to really see what you're capable of. Some guys go 0-for-40 sometimes," Inge said. He has not seemed to learn any humility from the situation and continues to think that his performance was acceptable.

"I hit the ball well," Inge said. I had two hits, but it was a matter of being a foot right or left and I probably could've had 10 hits out of those 20."

While Detroit had had enough of Inge, the Oakland Athletics were the perfect fit for him. Prior to the start of the season the A's lost their every day third baseman, Scott Sizemore to a season ending injury. This left Oakland with a gap at the hot corner and Inge was a perfect fit.

It looks like Inge has gotten what he wants, he is starting every day, for now, at the position that he is the most comfortable with - and he was "close to asking for a release from the Tigers anyway." Well, here's to you Brandon.