The Detroit Tigers on Thursday announced that they have released third baseman Brandon Inge, and there are indications that the Twins will, at least, have a discussion about pursuing the 34-year old veteran.
Inge was relegated to a backup role with the Tigers after slugger Miguel Cabrera moved to third base. In nine games, Inge was 2-for-20 for a .100 average to go with a homer and two RBI. He made his major league debut in 2001 and has spent his entire career with the Tigers.
"The chance to go play maybe somewhere else might be good for me, personally,” Inge told reporters after today's game against Seattle..
Why would the Twins even consider adding him? He's been a solid pro throughout his career, someone the Twins have admired from afar. If they decide that Danny Valencia would be better off working on his game at Class AAA Rochester, they could use Inge and Sean Burroughs in a platoon at third.
Inge can also catch, which would interest the Twins.
The Tigers owe Inge $5.5 million this year. He can sign with any club, with that club owing him the pro-rated major league minimum. Inge, however, can sign with any club he chooses, and might opt to play elsewhere. Stay tuned,...
La Velle E. Neal III has covered baseball for the Star Tribune since 1998 (the post-Knoblauch era). Born and raised in Chicago, he grew up following the White Sox and hating the Cubs. He attended both the University of Illinois and Illinois-Chicago and began his baseball writing career at the Kansas City Star. He can be heard occasionally on KFAN radio, lending his great baseball mind to Paul Allen and other hosts. Mark Rosen borrows him occasionally for WCCO-TV.
Phil Miller covered three seasons of Twins baseball, but that was at a different ballpark for a different newspaper. Now Miller returns to the baseball beat after joining the Star Tribune as the Gopher football writer in 2010, and he won't miss the dingy dome for a minute. In addition to the Twins and Gophers, Miller covered the Utah Jazz and the NBA for six years at The Salt Lake Tribune.
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