Waiting for and Fearing the Inevitable

I see no way that the Athletics avoid it.

They will be signing Brandon Inge.

They will be getting an awful ballplayer, who sadly is likely more talented than any of the in-house options.

I called this one several weeks ago - it may have just been in outtakes for our podcast, or maybe in our actual podcast? - and the drumbeat has steadily grown. This deal is going to happen, because the A's options at third base are that limited. My hometown is Detroit, and I witnessed the fans' strange adulation/disgust with Inge. There was no time I've ever seen people in the same fanbase have such divisive thoughts over one player like I have seen with Brandon Inge.

His usefulness: his versatility. He can play virtually anywhere and has played everywhere but first base, shortstop and pitcher in his career.

His detractors: his offense. Some pay point to his 2006 and 2009 campaigns where he posted 27 home runs each season. I will point to his career .234/.304/.387 slash line and his .310 wOBA and his 80 wRC+. I'd point people towards his 8.0% career BB% and his 2011 where he was worth -0.4 WAR over 102 games, and his 2012 WAR (-0.3) where he has almost matched that in just nine.

The sad truth: he probably is better than Luke Hughes or Josh Donaldson.

In Michigan we have a great tourism campaign, and this person parodied it with one about Inge. It expresses quite well the nonsense that was Tigers' fans obsessions with Inge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSJhqugGprU

Brandon Inge: our new great white hope?