Meet the New Brandon Inge
By Blake VandeBunte • Aug 23rd, 2009 • Category: 2009 Season, Brandon Inge, Clete ThomasI don’t have much against Brandon Inge. I’ve always thought he was a fine player. What I do have a problem with, and I know I’m not alone here, is how much love this guy gets from Tigers fans. Inge has been getting the royal treatment for years and I don’t think he’s earned that. I know all the popular arguments for why he’s so loved, so save them.
However, Inge has a new member to his club that I find just as puzzling. Clete Thomas is turning into a cult hero in Detroit and I am completely baffled. I know my mom likes him because she thinks he’s cute. That can’t explain his entire following though, can it?
Ian of Bless You Boys has been all over Clete since day one and is probably the person actually driving the band wagon. He’s even selling shirts.
From what I can gather, here’s why people like Clete:
- He’s a lefty.
- He’s young.
- He’s not paid all that much.
- He’s got that blue-collar image going, people like that.
- He has country music playing when he comes up to bat.
- They think he’s “clutch”.
- His name is Clete.
That’s all I can piece together. Some of those points are the same points the Brandon Inge people have been making for years (just replace country music with lousy alternative rock). Here are some facts about our friend, Clete:
- His batting line this season is .242/.328/.397
- He has an OPS+ of 88. The “average” big leaguer is at 100.
- His batting average at Comerica Park is 40 points higher than it is on the road.
- Career .260 hitter with runners in scoring position.
- This season he has struck out once for every 3.7 at-bats, the same rate as Brandon Inge.
- He has an OBP of .328, the same as Brandon Inge.
- In his career at as a starter his batting average is only .252.
- When coming off the bench, he hits .310.
- Slightly above average defense player.
I was surprised at how many similarities he has with Inge. However, he doesn’t have Inge’s power and isn’t even close in terms of defensive value.
I like Clete Thomas. I’m glad he plays for the Tigers, but let’s not worship the guy or form any cults. He’s a fourth or fifth outfielder. That’s what he is. As long as he’s starting for the Tigers, that’s going to be a weakness for the team. The numbers show that he’s a below average player, but is actually pretty good in a substitute role. I think that’s the perfect way to think about Clete.
I don’t expect this to change his cult status. I’ve been saying this same stuff about Inge for five years and that guy still gets the loudest cheers at every home game.
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Blake VandeBunte is a posting fiend.
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Umm,who cares if clete has his clete cougars chasing him all over, dont undertsand that argument, and i dont understand the inge argument either, the guy makes the all star team, is near the top in team home runs, and plays a very good 3rd base, what the hell you want more from him, his 2nd half has dropped off, i wont cite his injury as the cause for the decline, i will just say he deserves the affection from us here in detroit, clete is obviously not an every day outfielder yet, who are we allowed to root for when we go to the games? If verlander or jackson isnt pitching, im guessing the only one you would approve of would be cabrera, and that is only if his average stays above .320
The thing I don’t like about Clete is that he swings way too hard especially with two strikes. I know he is working on it but I don’t see much of an adjustment.
Why does it concern you who others choose to root for?
I guess “problem” is the wrong word. I’m more confused as to why people like Clete so much. I’d like to hear some reasons from the Clete fans out there as to why they like him so much. Clearly people can have anyone be their favorite player, I just wonder how they decide a guy like Clete is “their guy”, that’s all.
I think people are obviously allowed to root for whoever they want. I’m a big Marcus Thames fan in spite of his short comings. He’s not an everyday guy either, similar to Clete. I like Marcus because of his power. I like the way he smiles and laughs at himself when he’s less than graceful in the field. People can like Clete for similar reasons, I just would like to hear an actual reason from some fans. That’s all.
Not to alienate people here, but posts like Johnny’s make me laugh.
Brandon Inge is a career .238 hitter. He shouldn’t be crowned King of Detroit like he has been.
HI Blake,
Last night at a sportsbar we saw part of the game and I made the comment “Didn’t Thomas just hit it out of the park?” Everyone looked at me as if I had 2 heads. Then my husband explained out-of-the park doesnt happen any more, probably Gibson was the last in Detroit. Does it happen anymore anywhere?…A winter project ?
Out of the park is a home run that goes anywhere including the seats. Out of the stadium is out of the stadium. And it happens in San francisco and Pittsburgh off of the top of my head.
Blake,
I’m with you on Clete, although one thing his admirers mention is his defense. For sure, Clete has a Bobby Higginson-type cannon out there, but he’s misplayed his share of balls, too. Clete is a nice 4th outfielder who makes for an excellent pinch runner or defensive replacement. What I don’t understand is when Leyland puts him third in the order. That makes no sense to me.
I will, however, disagree with you in comparing Clete to Inge. Inge is a game-changer. While it may not show up on a box score, he does things on the defensive side of the ball that more than make up for his low average, he plays through pain, he never slacks off on a play, and when he does hit, he usually hits for power. I like Inge for the same reasons I like Polanco: he plays the game the right way and does the little things it takes to win.
Keep up the good content!
Not to go somewhere that people don’t like people to go, but…
Do you think Clete’s race has something to do with it? Fans like to latch on to the new “white hope”. They tend to overlook shortcomings more when there is a more pale skin on the player. See your Ecksteins, Erstads, etc.
I could be wrong. But the Clete following amazes me when we couldn’t find any at bats for a guy like Timo Perez on this team.
I’m all for a thought out counter-argument too Blake. My first thought was that Clete has stuck with the Tigers most of the season because he’s left-handed and we’ve needed a LH OF for quite some time. But he’s only battin .236 against RHP, which is supposed to be his specialty as a LH batter. I firmly believe if we had Huff since the beginning of the season, he would fill the LH role and Clete would be at Toledo. Now, honestly I like Clete and the different music and its always great cheering on a new/young guy as he gets his first breaks in the big leagues.
I’m with EWild on Inge. My family had season tickets during the 100+ loss season and Inge was there everyday plugging away, playing the game the right way. He is our modern-day Kaline/Horton without the stats. He represents this era of Tigers baseball better than anyone else. 50 years from now, I will always associate this decade, as the Tigers gained respectability, with Brandon Inge.
The race issue made me think for a moment. I was just in Detroit for the KC series and I guess that could be a valid argument in some circles. Just I personally don’t know anyone whose favorite Tiger is Clete.
The MAIN REASON fans love Clete is the SAME REASON fans love Inge. Clete broke in the majors (just like Inge) with the Tigers and fans take “ownership” that he is theirs and invest their time cheering him on during his ups and downs.
If the MAIN REASON people like Clete is because he broke into the majors with the Tigers then why aren’t there any people going nuts over Zach Miner or Eddie Bonine?
I think Clete’s Cult was formed because we’re always looking for a hero. Clete has a “great” arm and Maggs was letting folks down with his play in rightfield and his bat. Minor and Bonine are nothing to get excited about. If they threw 100mph then maybe we could get excited. That’s why Zumaya was so well loved.
Clete Thomas is white and fratty-looking. Just like Inge. He is therefore beloved by and identified with by everyone who is either white and fratty themselves, or has dated/married them. It’s just such a stock sort of character that they can feel like he’s one of them without reservation.
I think it’s unfair to call him a slightly above average defensive player. I don’t know if you like UZR, but it has him as the third best defensive OF in the MLB with at least 500 innings (the best in baseball if you look at only his CF and RF stats). His glove is good enough that Magglio should be learning to play left so Clete can start. There is a perfectly good reason to be a fan of his. I just don’t think most of his fans know it.
I like this post and I hope Leyland will be a little smarter when to start Clete and where to bat him but why compare him to Inge when talking about defensive value? If compared defensivly to Raburn, Magglio, Thames and Guillen then I wonder if there is a case that he could be more valuable then those three if he were able to be average/above average offensively … maybe …? Isn’t it also too soon to determine him offensively in 340 or so career AB’s (although 88 ops+ is poop)? I understand that this post is also questioning the immediate love for Clete and why all people don’t think Miguel is the greatest Tiger(hitter) by miles is beyond me … but whatever.
Slightly above average defensive player? Have seen that canon of an arm he has from the outfield? It shoots like a rocket out of his hand WITH ACCURACY! Not only that he has the speed to platoon ANY outfield spot. Part of the reason the Tigers win games is because when Clete is out there, runners are afraid to challenge his arm. If that is his only contribution to this team than he deserves a “cult.” I guess a guy with a walkoff walk, a walkoff homer, and a walkoff single doesn’t deserve any praise? That by far deserves the most praise, because that is THE most clutch a player in a baseball uniform can be. How about this? Batting off the bench isn’t easy. Brandon Inge at least gets to play everyday and get regular at bats against major league pitching? I wouldn’t expect much more from him than that, especially from a guy who keeps flipping between the majors and minors. To compare a bench player to a starter is just plain stupid.
Thanks for keeping it civil. Yeesh.
Like him or not,
his catch pretty much saved the game tonight.
Sorry, just proving how irrational Cletes Cult can be.
Jay is right. That catch was huge.
-s