Tonight I was watching the NBA Eastern Conference Finals (Detroit was playing, obvs) and looking for a suitable movie to flip to during commercials. I happened upon The Butterfly Effect on FX and gave it a whirl. I had not seen it before and it was one of those ones that always seemed interesting enough to give a shot on cable.

Of course, The actual Butterfly Effect is the idea that small variances in initial conditions can create significant differences in outcome. It’s just nerdy enough for me to find interesting. Anyhoo, admittedly I missed pieces of the show due to the game, but late in the show I found myself taking small breaks from the game to ensure I understood the conclusion.

The gist of this Ashton Kutcher flick is that his character’s adult girlfriend (Amy Smart) commits suicide due to something he either did or said (or both). Somehow or another Kutcher is given the opportunity to travel back in time to make changes to the past that can influence the future. This has something due to with a journal he owns from his childhood - when he reads it he starts to travel. (I know this is sketchy detail, but its really not important). I think he returned to the place in his life he was reading about within the journal.

Kutcher’s character goes back several times, only to find each time he creates his “butterfly effect”at that particular moment in the past, it has drastic effects on his current adult life to others close to him or his relationships to them. Finally, the chain of events ends when the young Kutcher (8ish) tells the young Amy Smart if she ever talked to him again he would kill her and her entire family. The net effect was he closed off his relationship to Smart as a child to avoid the problems he was facing in his current reality (her suicide) and the realities from his initial unsuccessful attempts.

No big deal, right? Right.

I wasn’t awed by anyone’s performance or relieved that everything worked out in the end. What did occur, however, was some thought into the actual Butterfly Effect i.e. how minor changes do impact our lives as we age.

The movie made me consider some sin I was exposed to at a younger age that I collected by what psychologists call “modeling.” It made me think about the gut-wrenching hurts I’ve had over the past 5+ years. And so on. The interesting part of this consideration was that it made me think “what if those things hadn’t happened?” What type of person would I be without them? How much more would I love people and be content with myself?

Most of those issues I reference involve a lot of sin on my part; my complicity with the events. HOWEVER, I have long since prayed for God’s forgiveness for those things on many, many occasions. When we do so, The Bible says it is as if the sin had never happened. It took watching half o’ clunker of a movie for me to consider that my life would be significantly different if those things had never taken place. The freedom of Jesus sacrifice does, in fact, allow me to live that way.

Needless to say, there was tremendous freedom in these considerations. I can live my life without carrying around the weight of my past. I don’t have to try to exist in some reality of my hurt. It is gone and I’m forgiven and you can be, too. I’m not saying it won’t creep back into my head, but it does feel very powerful to consider what my present mindset can be and what my future can be without the fear and guilt of my failures. Maybe I’m an unusual case, but I’ve never really felt that way when I’ve prayed for forgiveness previously.

I had a hell of a time Sunday, spending a few hours with my aunt at the East Lansing Art Fair. Below are the websites of a few of my favorite artists from the event.

www.melvinmcgee.com

www.loftprints.com

www.marvin-hill-art.com

Due to this story, I would encourage you to write a friendly letter to the Church of God’s state office in South Carolina here.

I am mostly conservative, FWIW.

I’m a big fan of his. I’ve loved the evolution of his music over the years and his lyrics tend to hit home more often than not. He’s not a Christian as far as I know, but I really loved this post of his from about a week ago. It seems rare to have someone with so much celebrity with so much perspective - especially a young, male figure.

I hope you enjoy.

Nothing like an uncommonly good week in sports to ease the transition of moving. I had to point out a few things, in case you’ve been under a rock somewhere.

1.) The Houston Rockets have won 22 games in a row. Yes, the Houston Rockets.

2.) The Denver Nuggets scored 168 points in regulation vs. Seattle.

3.) The Georgia Bulldogs won four games in four days (two in one day, two that went to overtime) to win the SEC championship. Georgia finished last in the SEC East and needed the win in the SEC Championship Game to go over .500.

4.) A tornado hit the Georgia Dome.

5.) Tyler Hansbrough makes a shot with .8 seconds left to lift North Carolina over Virginia Tech in the ACC semis.

6.) Minnesota’s miracle.

7.) The Astros’ Kaz Mastui had surgery.

8.) Tiger Woods continued his undefeated streak in 2008.

9.) A personal favorite, Butler (29-3), got screwed in their tournament ranking (#7 in the East). Butler will have to beat South Alabama in Birmingham, then potentially Tennessee, Louisville, and North Carolina to win their region. (Note Xavier’s #3 seed after bowing out in the A-10 semis and potential second round cupcake Purdue.)

10.) My most important fantasy baseball draft took place today and went well.

Great warm up for the the “real” March Madness. Enjoy.

I wanted to leave a note to say I’m in the process of moving from Tallahassee back to Michigan. I will be leaving in the afternoon Monday (3/3) or the following morning. Just wanted to leave a few thoughts in the meantime.

1.) Every time you move, you will find you have more belongings than you could possibly imagine.

2. ) Tallahassee is a quirky city - tons of tiny, enjoyable neighborhoods characterized by lofty trees and houses built with moderation; a geographical marker that more or less divides the city racially; the capitol; two large universities and a community college; true southerners (we are in the panhandle, after all);  temperature and sunshine representative of Florida, but not tropical; no thriving commerce outside of government and education.

3.) This move is going to be difficult for a several reasons. The past two and a half years have been immeasurably more enjoyable than the first four of my adult life. I’ve been able to study a topic I thoroughly enjoy. The weather is great, especially now. I’ve been able to establish relationships with a number of people who have common, sustaining values. My father passed away while I was here and it will be a year since next Sunday. I had a year and a half relationship with a girl that I really love and is as good as you will ever find. God brought me back to Him and led me to a church that I could not love more. I am not choosing to leave as much as it is a necessity.

4.) I am extremely confident God is in control and I am being led…only I do not know where.

5.) I hope my kids have no desire to attend a state school.

6. ) I hope the price of gas drops a little the next couple days.

7.)  Pray that I can be a boost for my mom during the time I am home. She needs one. Pray for my church as it is going through a massive transition. Pray that churches in this area can truly follow the word and not get caught up in legalism.

8.)  Pray that winter will unceremoniously end in Michigan.

9.) Keep uh…keep truckin’. Good stuff.

Welcome to a new feature here at AGU where a panel of “experts” will discuss a variety of topics pertaining to Major League Baseball. The panel consists of 10 guys who are (roughly) ages 25-37. Five are lawyers, three are graduate students, one is an engineer, and one is in the media. Two are married with children, if you can believe it. All are fantasy baseball players and many are Moneyball/sabermetric disciples. Our first installment will try to wade through allegiances, thoughts on the game at-large, and the upcoming season. Future installments will be increasingly moment-relevant.

What tidbits will you find in the first edition? Entirely too many people know who Kosuke Fukudome is. We are very optimistic about our favorite teams. Chad thinks Scott Boras is a butterface. A-Rod is still a consensus candidate for #1 fantasy baseball pick. Peter Gammons can do no wrong and we don’t agree on what should be done with the DH.

1) Who is your favorite team?

Steve: Florida Marlins

Tom: Detroit Tigers

Jon: NY Mets

Chad: Detroit Tigers

Pat: Chicago Cubs

Dan: Boston Red Sox

Aaron: Detroit Tigers

Damon: Detroit Tigers

Bryan: Boston Red Sox

Ryan: Detroit Tigers

2) What is your prediction for your team’s record and how far will they advance in the playoffs (if they make it)?

Steve (Marlins): 81-81 if they stay healthy, no playoffs.

Tom (Tigers): 94-68, something in that ball park. Admittedly, I’m just grabbing the 07 Yankees record, since the NYY led the league in runs, which I hope (expect) the Tigers to do this year, but I have serious concerns about the pitching staff (healthy, particularly, with Rogers and Bonderman, and a thin bullpen) and could see an 07 Yankees-like team ERA in the mid 4 range as well. Considering the Twins were gutted by the loss of Santana and the ChiSox continue to make stupid moves, the AL East is much stronger than the Central, so 94 wins is probably conservative, at least I hope.

Jon (Mets): 95-67, World Series Champs.

Chad (Tigers): 140-22+ World Series Champs (why are they even playing the season . . . just give the Tigers their rings now.)

Pat (Cubs): Cubs should make the playoffs, either as division winners or as wildcard team. I would hope that they could at least win the first series.

Dan (Red Sox): 103-59, World Series champs (again).

Aaron (Tigers): 101-61, World Series Champs (±5 wins based on DD tweaking the pitching or not).

Damon (Tigers): 92+ wins…represent AL in World Series.

Bryan (Red Sox): I’ll say 93-69, and first place in the AL East. I think they can repeat as champs, so I’ll predict that they will. I’ll also say that if they fail to make the World Series it will be at the hands of the Indians.

Ryan (Tigers): 99-63. Division Champs (by 4 games over Cleveland); American League Champs. Loss in World Series (to the Dodgers or the Mets).

3) Give me one player to watch from your team and one player to watch from the league at-large.

Steve: Hanley Ramirez - most underrated player in baseball, put up better numbers last year than Rollins. King Felix Hernandez could have a historic season.

Tom: No reason to be cute - Miguel Cabrera. I’m hoping he makes a run at the doubles mark playing in the CoPa, and I’m hoping his presence in the lineup produces an ‘08 season for Ordoñez more comparable to his career highs of ‘07 than his pre-’07 averages. League at large - Juan Gonzalez? Joke. My proximity to Wrigley might skew my answer, but if Kosuke Fukudome has half the success this year that a few others left-handed Japanese stars have had in the MLBs, the Cubs might finally have the left-handed bat they desperately needed last year. (apologies to Daryle Ward and Jacque Jones)

Jon: Duaner Sanchez - if he’s healthy again, the Mets bullpen improves greatly from last year. Cole Hamels - if he takes another step forward, he could be unhittable.

Chad: Brandon Inge - he is angry and he is the best all-around athlete in baseball. Kosuke Fukudome - Fukudome = nuff said

Pat: Derrek Lee is due for a bounce-back year. His wrist should be fully healed by now and with the Soriano, Ramirez and the Japanese import, he should see plenty of good pitches and have a ton of RBI chances. At large it will be interesting to see how both Haren and Santana do in the NL. Also, interesting to see how Ryan Braun does in his sophomore effort.

Dan: Jacoby Ellsbury, i.e. the reason Johan Santana isn’t pitching for the Red Sox. Had a monster end of season and postseason, legitimate five tool player, and will easily take the starting job from Coco. Nick Swisher. Everyone’s been waiting on him to fulfill the Moneyball potential, he’s finally in a lineup that can protect him, in a park that cannot protect baseballs.

Aaron: Dontrelle Willis. One, because I can’t believe he’ll be in a Tiger uniform. Two, his stats have been in decline and he’s moving to a better hitters’ league. He’s at a crossroads in his career, IMO. He could end up anywhere from an above average starter to a set-up role. Santana/Haren. NL hitters are gonna get it and they don’t even know it.

Damon: Watch for Dontrelle Willis to get off to an extremely hot start for the Detroit Tigers, similar to Bronson Arroyo 2 years ago when he was traded from Boston to Cincinnati. Subsequently, he will fade in the 2nd half when AL hitters adjust to his unusual wind-up. Kosuke Fukudome will help the Chicago Cubs run away with the NL Central. After that, all bets are off.

Bryan: Clay Buchholz - With Schilling on the shelf, Clay looks like the man for that 5th spot in the rotation. He is projected to be a #1 starter someday, and with a MLB no-hitter already under his belt, it will be interesting to see if he can live up to some of that hype at the age of 23. Joba Chamberlain - Even if he is as dominant as a starter as he was as a reliever, will the Yankees blow enough late leads to consider this a mistake? The Joba/Rivera combo kept the Yankees from crumbling last year, and one has to wonder if it will be their demise in a loaded American League.

Ryan: Gary Sheffield - Last year he was injured, but this year, injury or not, we learn that he is no longer an elite player; he’s above average at best. (Note: Regardless of Sheffield’s performance, because offense won’t be a problem, D-Train is the key) Underachievers: Ryan Braun - He endures the infamous “sophomore slump.” Derek Jeter - Shows signs of age, fails to play 140 games, fails to hit double digit home runs, and fails to hit .300. Carlos Pena - Fails to hit 25 home runs. Break-outs: Matt Kemp (if he plays every day) and Hunter Pence. (Note: Johan Santana and Dan Haren are going to dominate in the NL)

4) In any order, name three players you would consider for the number one overall fantasy draft pick. Write “forget it” if this information is classified.

Steve: Reyes, A-Rod, Magglio Ordoñez.

Tom: A-Rod, Cabrera, Reyes

Jon: (Editor’s note: No answer.)

Chad: A-Rod, Miguel Cabrera, Johan Santana

Pat: A-Rod, Ryan Howard, Matt Holliday.

Dan: Gayrod, Santana, Reyes

Aaron: Probably only A-Rod and Miguel Cabrera, but not sure yet.

Damon: Forget it.

Bryan: Hanley Ramirez, A-Rod, Jose Reyes

Ryan: Alex Rodriguez, Hanley Ramirez, Johan Santana

5) Who are your three favorite baseball writers? Explain if necessary.

Steve: Bill Simmons, Tim Kurkijijigan, Peter Gammons.

Tom: Ken Tremendous, Junior, Dak, and, no sadly, I’m not kidding. But of the “non-blogging” variety I like Tim Kurkjian and very little else.

Jon: Matt Cerrone (metsblog.com), Rob Neyer, Ken Tremendous.

Chad: I can’t read so no comment on this one.

Pat: I usually just listen to them but - Peter Gammons, Buster Olney, Jayson Stark.

Dan: Olney, Gammons, Will McDonough (Boston Globe, deceased).

Aaron: Gammons, Ken Tremendous, and Keith Law. Locally, I like Danny Knobler (Mlive.com) although at times he’s woefully inept (like the trade deadline).

Damon: Peter Gammons, Tim Kurkjian, Danny Knobler (Tigers beat writer - knows all).

Bryan: Peter Gammons - because he ALWAYS has the most information. Buster Olney - because his blog on the four-letter is an amazing resource.

Ryan: Peter Gammons, Ken Rosenthal (trade rumormonger), Ken Tremendous

6) Would you like the leagues to establish the same rule with regard to the DH? Which way, pitcher batting or DH?

Steve: Leave as is.

Tom: Even though most baseball fans I know have an opinion on this, I don’t really care about it, so I guess the answer is no. I’m fine with different rules– baseball doesn’t pride itself on uniformity of rules (hence the different dimensions at parks, etc.), and I can see both sides– the purist in me likes all players to play both ways, whereas the American League fan in me would rather watch Gary Sheffield hit than having the 9 spot be a sure out, or watch Doug Drabek pull a hammy sliding into third. In short, I’m fine with how it is.

Jon: No DH.

Chad: If I had to pick, then I prefer making the pitcher’s hit because it adds another element to coaching strategy. However, I am fine with NL having pitchers hit and AL with the DH because it adds an interesting twist during inter-league games and the World Series.

Pat: I would prefer no DH, but that will never happen considering the players union and how it basically allows inept fielders who can hit to continue their careers and pile up that cheddar.

Dan: No, keep it funky, gives coaches something to do.

Aaron: Straight DH. I get the whole “intricacy of the game idea” or “tradition” argument, but really, who cares? There’s nothing more annoying than seeing the bottom of a NL order have two outs with the runners on and the SP coming up early in the game or 0-1 outs and knowing he’s going to sacrifice. What’s exciting about that? The pitchers look ridiculous 95% of the time they actually try to get a hit. Two other reasons. People make the argument that the DH allows guys who can’t field to extend their careers. I would argue that not having it allows 80 mph chuckers like Glavine, Wells, Moyer, and so on to stay in the game far too long. These guys aren’t good anymore and the fact that SP run to the NL late in their careers is evidence. It’s harmful to the NL’s competitiveness. The MLBPA would likely approve the NL DH, as well.

Damon: Yes, pitcher batting.

Bryan: I’m biased because I follow an American League team, but I like the DH and think both leagues should adopt it. Would football be better or worse if the Kicker had to play QB every tenth drive? Sure, there might be more strategy involved if that was the case, but it would not make for a better product. (Editor’s note: Bryan made the point I was trying to make in roughly 15,000 less words.)

Ryan: Yes, and I’d prefer the pitchers hit, but it will never happen. The MLBPA will never allow it because they need to keep the Matt Stairs of the world employed. Also, kids specialize as pitchers at a fairly young age (and in the minors) so the drain on offense would make the game less enjoyable to the casual fan who does not appreciate the intricacies of the NL style of play. I actually think it’s more likely that they’d switch to the DH in both leagues in order to keep offense up, but that’s not at all likely either.

7) Describe Scott Boras, A-Rod, and Joe Morgan in one word or term.

Steve: Boras - unconscionable; A-Rod - amazing; Morgan - moron.

Tom: Boras - exploiter; A-Rod - Hall of Fame; Morgan - Dave Concepcion.

Jon: Boras - Douche; A-Rod - awesome; Morgan - entertaining.

Chad: Boras - Butter-Face (good body but his face is ugly), A-Rod - HOT!, Joe Morgan - Bankteller-Syndrome (pretty face but he has a big ass).

Pat: Boras - Narcissistic a-hole; A-Rod - stat-driven; Morgan - senile.

Dan: The problem.

Aaron: Boras - misunderstood; A-Rod - incredible; Morgan - ignorant.

Damon: Boras - ass; A-Rod - ass; Morgan - dumbass.

Bryan: Boras - boring (i heard him speak a few months ago); A-Rod - too intense; Morgan - muteworthy

Ryan: Boras - Over-the-top (and full of himself); A-Rod - Individual (and full of himself); Joe Morgan - incompetent (and full of himself).

8.) What non-favorite team do you like to watch play?

Steve: Colorado last year, great mix of vets and young guys who were exciting to watch.

Tom: Actually, there are a lot, but I’ll narrow it down to the Angels and Cubs– the former because I love Vlad Guerrero and think that the Angels have constructed a nice balance to their lineup and rotation, and the Cubs because I live a half mile from Wrigley, have always appreciated their tradition as a kid, and like their pitching staff (even without Prior/Wood, now).

Jon: Cubs - baseball games at Wrigley are as good as it gets.

Chad: Chicago Cubs because Wrigley is awesome and it is so fun to root for them to finally win it all but you know deep down they are never going to do it.

Pat: Braves - grew up watching them on TBS, top 5 favorite teams, should have won at least 1 more WS - see Twins, f-ing game seven and Yankees, losing four straight after up 2-0 - what the F?

Dan: Cubs, because it’s incredible how many ways they can find to lose a baseball game.

Aaron: Probably Milwaukee. I like watching young talent.

Damon: If not watching Detroit, I love watching Boston. I could watch Papi bat all day long.

Bryan: Yankees, because i enjoy their losses almost as much as Red Sox wins.

Ryan: I like to watch the Dodgers so I can listen to Vin Scully call the game without the unhelpful color commentary guy. I also like to watch the Marlins and all of their young talent. I can’t stand watching the White Sox because of Hawk.

9) On-going PED investigations - important or ready to move forward?

Steve: Relevant but exhausting.

Tom: Incredibly important if it leads to the league getting serious about testing all players and adopting some of the methods used by the World Doping Agency– utterly irrelevant if the only outcome is name-smearing and blame-shifting.

Jon: Important, until people learn to own up and not lie.

Chad: I am in favor of MLB setting the rule that if a player gets caught on the juice, then he is done. No chance for reinstatement, ever. That would send the proper message. I know that is never going to happen so let’s just move forward.

Pat: Could care less. Lets just move on.

Dan: Important that it’s out there as a real threat, but now it’s pure grandstanding - time for my tax dollars to fix a few potholes.

Aaron: Ready to move forward. Yes, it is important, but at this point minutiae of the arguments is well beyond what I could ever care.

Damon: Important…very.

Bryan: PED investigations should only stop when the game is cleaned up…which it’s not. I just wish it would focus more on the present/future than on the past. Trying to pretend PEDs are a past problem will put us in the same position 15 years from now.

Ryan: Important to the game and to history, but I’m ready to move on because they aren’t being done in a meaningful way (and never will be) without full cooperation from both the owners and the union.

10) Who is best and worst GM in the game?

Steve: Best - Dave Dombrowski (DET); Worst - Jon Daniels (TX).

Tom: Best - Dave Dombrowski, bias or not– one of the few GMs that I think has shown he can succeed in any economic environment. Could Cashman succeed on the Marlins or Royals? Beane on the Yankees/Red Sox? Mark Shapiro is pretty sweet, too. Worst: Brian Sabean. The Giants under his guidance have been pretty successful despite him.

Jon: I liked Jocketty best, but I think he’s out of work. Jim Duquette, if he’ still the top guy in Baltimore is terrible. He traded Kazmir for Victor Zambrano.

Chad: Dave Dombrowski = Best, Brian Cashman = Worst.

Pat: Billy Beane/whoever runs the Braves - best. Not sure about the worst.

Dan: Best: Gotta say Theo, two World Series in four years, in that town, with that history…no small feat. Worst: Steve Phillips. I don’t care if he’s not a GM, he’s still the gold standard.

Aaron: Dombrowski, with the addendum I like what the Brewers and Royals are doing. Worst: tie between Kenny Williams and Jim Bowden.

Damon: Best - Doug Melvin, Milwaukee Brewers; Worst - Jim Bowden, Washington Nationals.

Bryan: While I love Theo Epstein, he does have the 2nd highest payroll to work with. I think Billy Beane is among the best, for the way he keeps the A’s competitive every year. Mark Shapiro seems to know what he’s doing in Cleveland as well. As far as the worst, I’ll say Ed Wade of the Astros based on the things he did with the Phillies over the last decade and the questionable moves he’s already made in Houston.

Ryan: Best - Dave Dombrowski (second - Billy Beane). Worst - Wayne Krivsky (Dave Littlefield finally got fired).

In our next installment we will predict division and wild-card winners as well as our fantasy team’s finish, discuss what went right and wrong in our fantasy baseball drafts, compare the league structure of MLB vs. other sports, unveil sleeper teams, make bold predictions, and more.

With the offseason trade for Miguel Cabrera, Tigers 3B Brandon Inge finds himself in the prime years of his career without a spot in the lineup. After privately disclosing his displeasure with the deal, Inge requested a trade of his own. In the interim, he has refused to address the media about the situation, causing some writers to call him out. (Don’t we usually call out ball players for complaining publicly?) Much has been made about whether to keep or trade Inge, but it is a complex issue–one that requires historical context to address in a responsible manner.

Charles Brandon Inge was a phenomenal shortstop and relief pitcher at Virginia Commonwealth University, selected in the second round of the 1998 draft by the Detroit Tigers. To this day, as a 3B, Inge is known for his outstanding range defensively and cannon of an arm. After being drafted he was moved to catcher, a position he had never played.

Inge quickly moved through the Tigers’ farm system, debuting behind the plate on April 3, 2001. I was in attendance that day. My former girlfriend’s dad had season tickets behind home plate at Comerica Park. Mrs. Phil Garner’s tickets were immediately in front of us. Before the game started, she turned to us and explained how Phil thought Inge was going to be something special. (I digress.)

Over the course of the next six years the Tigers would return Inge to the field. In 2004, he played a little over half his games at 3B (due to the Pudge Rodriguez signing) before taking over full-time at 3B in 2005. He also played 28 games in the outfield in 2004, some at each position.

One has to wonder what sort of toll these changes took on Inge emotionally. He had never caught in his life, yet the Tigers drafted him and moved him immediately. Later when a superstar came on board, the Tigers dismissively moved him again. It is hard to know what could have been gained, especially offensively, from simply leaving Inge as a SS or 3B over the last ten years. A great deal of effort must be put in to learn a new position, especially catching, and especially at the major league level. In 2006, when Jim Leyland came on board, assurance was given that Inge would play nowhere but 3B. This promise has been kept to date, but appears in jeopardy as the 2008 season approaches.

Fact #1 The Tigers have been whimsically jerking Inge around for the past ten years. (Qualifier: some of this can be put at the feet of a change in management. I seriously doubt, however, this matters to Inge.)

Inge played in a little over half the games his first three years, but his career trend was already in its formative stages. From 2001-2003, Inge posted a batting average of .198 in 849 at bats, an OPS of roughly 50 (100 is the average for any player), and a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.87 to 1. He would improve slightly over the next three seasons as a regular, averaging an OPS around 100. (He began playing some 3B in 2004, which seemed to help.) In 2007, at the age of 30, his offensive statistics declined (OPS: 80).

To be fair, Inge’s FRAA statistics reveal he has played well above average as a defensive 3B, saving the Tigers numerous runs. This doesn’t discount…

Fact #2: Brandon Inge has never been much of a hitter.

Fact #3: His offensive decline as a corner player at the relatively young age of 30 is disconcerting.

Inge’s ugly 2007 became a bigger problem for the Tigers due to the backloaded 4-year, $24M contract they signed him to following their improbable 2006 run to the World Series. Offensively, Inge was trending upward as a 29 year-old and playing his trademark defense. The contract was not outlandish by the day’s market and, if trends held, may have turned out to be a bargain. The 2006-2007 free agent market was also ominously thin at 3B, containing the likes of Aaron Boone, Wes Helms, and Fernando Tatis. Inge benefited from this fact. From the Tigers’ perspective, it made no sense to go in another direction.

Fact #4: The Tigers offer to Inge was fair, no more no less, for the value provided.

As anyone who runs a business knows, complacency is a killer. Dombrowski had an opportunity to land a 24 year-old who is potentially the greatest hitter of his generation for prospects and took it. Even as the Tigers have emerged as a force in the American League, their one glaring weakness has always been lack of offensive production from the traditional power positions - 1B and 3B. Over the last two years, these positions have been manned by Inge, Sean Casey, Dmitri Young, and Marcus Thames. Thames is a fourth outfielder at best and Young went through drug and legal issues in 2006 that required the trade for Casey.

Although Inge’s well-being has consistently been an afterthought, the deal on the table was not one passed up by any GM in their right mind. (The Nationals, White Sox, Angels, Orioles, Dodgers, and Giants may have been able to screw this up.)

Fact#5: The Tiger organization cannot, in this instance, be held responsible for the ramifications to Inge’s career. The circumstances are unfortunate given historical information, but the Tigers are in the business of winning baseball games.

I think it is the totality of how Inge’s career has unfolded that has him peeved, more than the Cabrera issue in a vacuum. A few Inge considerations:

1) He has moved positions numerous times.

2) He had to play on the uber-disaster 2003 squad that went 43-119 and is the only remaining holdover from that group.

3) He has stayed long enough to see the pendulum swing all the way back in the opposite direction. (2 and 3 are both highly emotional. I have to think even more so when experienced by the same person in the same organization. My point: I’m sure Inge feels a bond with the club and the city, even if his career has only been smooth for about three years. He’d probably like to see some loyalty after going through thick and thin.)

4) Now that the Tigers have more potential than ever, he’s being asked to play a utility role.

I know I sound like an Inge apologist and I am. I feel for the guy. Nobody likes working for a boss that talks out of both sides of his mouth and especially not for ten years. Inge only gets one shot at a baseball career. What it might have been in a different organization will probably weigh on his mind for the rest of his life.

At the same time, there are plenty of arguments that cannot be made for Inge, such as:

1) He never got a shot to prove himself.

2) He never got to play for a winner.

3) He is not paid well.

These are the gripes of minor leaguers who never made it, veterans stuck in a bad organization, and everyone on the planet. It is the fact that he is paid well and coming off a bad year that has made trading him impossible so far. Inge is a victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sometimes that happens to good people.

***

Brandon Inge is a fan favorite and definitely one of mine. I used to really dislike him as a player because he couldn’t hit. Once some better offensive weapons came on board, I cared a lot less. He’s a treat to watch in the field. As a whole, though, he is another average baseball player. He’s the victim of a change in management (Smith to Dombrowski), a change in philosophy (spend money), and a change in circumstances (once in a generation hitter). He’s gotten the short end of the stick in a lot of ways and I think this helps us lay people relate to him better. I haven’t heard a persuasive argument stating he should not be upset for what has happened this offseason. I would be, too. He should be commended for keeping his beef out of the media.

My selfish hope is that he gets to stick around and can find an everyday role by taking advantage of his ABs. The Tigers already have him catching again because Vance Wilson is a question mark and Pudge is a free agent next year. I wouldn’t mind seeing him play left field. I know he has a better arm the Jacque Jones, but Jones is a left-handed bat and will probably prevail. My prediction? Inge is around long enough for the Tigers to see the bullpen won’t hold up in October and dealt for a power arm. Again, abused for the Tigers’ short-term needs.

(Edit: If I could figure out how to make this blockquote go away, I would. I spent a half hour on it.)

The past few weeks have been humbling. My days have been spent searching for jobs in a town that seemingly has none. I’ve often felt purposeless through it all and had to actively calm my emotions to keep from climbing the walls or having a breakdown.

Last week my frustration led to a lunch with someone I greatly admire. I explained the situation to him, saying that I knew God was in control and that I was not stressed out per se, but deeply confused. A move to Michigan is the next step and, at the current trajectory, not too far into the future. It has been difficult to find resolve about being cutoff from the friends and community I have come to love, not out of opportunity, but out of failure. It would not be an end-of-the-world scenario, I told him, but one I had difficulty reconciling with a God who is working for what is best for me. How could I be forced into such a disappointing option, I wondered. How could leaving those I love so much possibly be better for me?

My friend likened my plight to the experience of novice sky divers. The first couple of jumps, he said, assurance of the chute’s safety is all that matters. The jumper wants the rip cord to be pulled immediately so he can relax and enjoy the trip down. Over time the diver begins to trust in the safety of the chute, knowing that when it is time to pull the cord it will be there to support his weight and provide a gentle landing on the earth below. The diver begins to enjoy the free fall more than anything and develop disdain for the rip cord that insures his safety.

My friend knows it is my goal to coach college football. I have been actively pursuing those positions at the same time I struggle to find work locally. He noted that staffs in the college game are regularly fired and that, if this was the direction my life would take, I would no doubt face similar circumstances in the future. He believes what I am experiencing currently is likely one of my first jumps as the figurative sky diver. He wondered what part of my situation is keeping me from throwing my hands up to enjoy the free fall down, if I believe in a God who is working for what is best for me.

I liked my friend’s analogy a great deal. He often talks about how we must put ourselves in a position to see God work; to allow him to perform miraculous acts if we are to truly experience Him. I definitely feel that I am in one of those situations and need to have this experience to respond positively when I see a firing looming on the horizon. Historically, I have chosen to try to control the outcome. Now that I am not I often wonder if God is sure He knows what He’s doing.

Although not my desired option, moving to Michigan is a possibility that I can live with. I can survive the fall through trust in a God working actively for my benefit. I can be diligent in searching for a position, but in the end I must trust. Believing doesn’t help the frustration and boredom of the day-to-day search that much. I still have difficulty knowing my qualities, experiences, and education are not being utilized (much) to counsel or empathize. Those interactions energize me, but have been few and far between. I will try take comfort in my chute, though, and the gentleness with which my feet will soon touch the earth.

Bryan Allain of Prayers for Blowouts fame (amongst other things, like having a wife and children) tagged me in a blog-post-chain-thingy that asks you to reveal six quirks about yourself and to ask six others to do the same. If this were an e-mail chain, I’d shake my head disapprovingly, but I think this one is actually pretty cool.

The Rules:

1) Link to the person that tagged you.

2) Post the rules on your blog.

3) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.

4) Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.

5) Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

Six Non-important habits/quirks about me:

1) I do everything right-handed except eat, brush my teeth, and play guitar (if I actually could). Legend has it that these habits evolved from either a) breaking my right wrist in first grade or b) copying everything my older, left-handed brother Ryan did as a child (it’s something the family likes to believe). I do not deny a period of copying everything Ryan did, including eating the same breakfast cereal every morning, but I honestly have no idea which is responsible.

I also remember having to learn to write left-handed while in the cast and abhorring my teacher for making me go back to my dominant hand after the painstaking task of learning to write left-handed. (I hated handwriting. You cannot explain the usefulness of such harsh punishments to a six year-old.) I may have stayed lefty for these tasks due to nobody caring which I performed them with.

There has been some benefit to doing a couple things lefty my entire life. I find it useful for motor skills that require a little finesse.

2) I am on a lifelong quest to find the perfect pair of jeans. I have unnecessarily large quads that make very few fit correctly. I don’t go shopping for jeans specifically, simply because they last so long, but if I’m in a store and randomly find a pair that fits somewhat well I always buy it. Nine times out of ten I am laughing at myself in the fitting room by the time I am ready to secure them. Big quads make the fit for every part above the quad, umm, an adventure. You know what I’m sayin’.

3) I value the lyrics of songs much more than the average Joe. Don’t get me wrong I appreciate what is going on instrumentally, but I am astounded by the volume of people who “love” songs and don’t have the faintest idea what is being said other than three words from the hook.

4) I’d pay a hefty sum to be able to watch all football from the endzone point of view. It is impossible to see any of the strategy going on downfield with the camera locked in on the QB.

5) I have a vice for Brooks Brothers ties and polos. Every man should own at least one BB tie, preferably ten.

6) I group all of my groceries by type (freezer, refrigerator, room temp, toiletries) when I put them on the belt at the store. You have time to do this while you’re putting them up there, no? Yes, yes you do. If the bagger catches on, it saves the time of sorting everything out in the unbagging process at home.

Finally, I don’t have six friends with blogs so I guess the chain stops here. I only have a couple