Happy birthday to former White Sox farmhand Michael Jordan, who turns 49 years old today. Jordan played one season of Double-A ball with the Birmingham Barons in 1994, hitting .202/.289/.266 in 497 plate appearances. On the strength of those numbers, Jordan was named ESPN's greatest athlete of the 20th century. In hindsight, it's possible ESPN may have also taken Jordan's basketball career into consideration, but you'd have to take that argument up with the gang at MLBTR's new sister site Hoops Rumors.
Here's the latest from around the AL Central…
- Brandon Inge will be given a chance at the Tigers' second base job during Spring Training, manager Jim Leyland told reporters (including John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press). Inge joins Ryan Raburn and Ramon Santiago in battling for playing time at second. With Miguel Cabrera now playing third, Inge finds himself without a position. Inge has been a strong defensive third baseman throughout his career (a +5.6 UZR/150) but he has never played second during his 14-year professional career.
- Rany Jazayerli thinks the Royals should have acquired at least one more proven starting pitcher this offseason, arguing that such a move could have possibly given Kansas City a shot at the division title.
- Roberto Hernandez (a.k.a. Fausto Carmona) is visiting baseball camps in the Dominican Republic to teach young players not to lie about their identity or true age, writes Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Jorge Brito, Hernandez's agent, didn't say whether these visits were necessary for Hernandez to regain his ability to leave the Dominican and rejoin the Indians.
- MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger gives his thoughts about what the Twins' Opening Day roster could look like.
“a.k.a. Fausto Carmona” lmao. Just thinking about all the casual Indians fans that are going to be confused come April when Fauxsto Carmona takes the mound and the commentators call him Heredia.
I heard somewhere that his proper last name is Hernandez, i.e., people should call him that. Something about Heredia being his mother’s name.
In LatinAmerica,by law people use both the last name of the father and the maiden name of the mother. So he is Roberto Hernández Heredia in his ID papers.
I`m not sure if Tigers fans are ready for Inge 2.0 !
I’m not sure Tiger fans are ready for 3/4 of their infield consisting of Fielder, Cabrera, and Inge. What’s next, Laird at short?
Inge just never goes away, does he. When I picture baseball in 2040 I still picture Inge playing the hot corner for the Tigers
Tigers should just leave Inge at 3rd and have Cabrera just pick a spot in the 2B hole and lay down, that way he will cover the most ground possible
You do know that Cabrera lost a bunch of weight, right?
Listen…i think Cabrera is one of the best hitters, if not the best hitter right now in baseball. But a month spent on Nutrisystem isnt going to make him a better fielder.
He’s down to 250 and plans on being down to 235 by Opening Day.
“He’s down to 250…” that just sounds weird in positive connotation.
Cabrera is 6’4 and a professional athlete. He’d be in pretty good shape at 235
Cabrera is 6’4 and a professional athlete. He’d be in pretty good shape at 235
At 6’4? Sandavol is 262 and only 5’11”.
Instead of the Royals signing Broxton, maybe they should have saved that money and given a better effort to have signed Roy Oswalt. I liked the Royals bullpen even before the signing of Brox.
Come on Dayton, do something! I know Duquette won’t!
I think the Broxton singing was to potentially move Crow to the rotation. But yeah, it would have been nice to get Oswalt for one year. My guess is that they inquired, and he doesn’t have any interest in playing here.
The Royals deal for pitching is likely coming around Memorial Day.
Oswalt most likely didn’t want to sign with the Royals in the first place. Why would he?
Also, Oswalt has degenerative disc disease. I doubt he pitches 140 innings and that’s being generous.
I really hope Inge hits his way out of a job, I’m really sick of his attitude and him being given chance after chance. His calling card was always his power and elite defense, both of which have eroded
He might be the worst player in baseball.
jonny gomes says hello
Don Kelly makes Inge pretty redundant. He has never hit for average and doesn’t walk a whole lot. He was an above average player when he was hitting 27 HR’s and playing GG caliber defense….but a no power, no walk, average fielding player has no place on a contending team
He may be inept at the plate but at least he can provide the Tigers with good defense. You can do worse than Inge. Like Yuniesky Betancourt who is absolutely hideous at both sides of the game.
This isn’t 2007 anymore. Inge is a very overrated defender. Does he make some nice plays? Yes. But that being said, he makes a lot of mental errors that cost the team. He had one in the playoffs last year and one against the Rays that lost the game.
That one in T.B was that the one where he threw to the wrong base? If it is many said he threw to the right base weather right or wrong including Harold Renolds! Also Competition hurts no one and can only make the team better!
I don’t know about you, but my oppinion does not revolve around a terrible “expert” such a Harold Reynolds.
Synergy!