Inge hobbled by minor oblique injury

06/02/2008 9:59 PM ET
Inge hobbled by oblique injury
Injury occurred Sunday on checked swing, considered minor
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

OAKLAND -- Brandon Inge talked Sunday about how good it felt to start at third base again. A day later, he was hobbled.

Manager Jim Leyland said Monday that Inge is dealing with a pulled oblique muscle, which he suffered on a checked swing Sunday. Inge took infield practice before Monday's opener against the A's and appeared to be moving around well, so the injury was minor. Still, with Inge remaining Detroit's backup catcher to Ivan Rodriguez, Leyland will be cautious. Inge is considered day-to-day.

If the injury lingers, it'll be bad timing for Inge, who was looking at more playing time at third base following Carlos Guillen's experiment in the outfield. The occasional move had its first occasion on Sunday.

Thus, Guillen was back at third Monday following his first career game in left field. Rookie Clete Thomas was in left field for his first start since being recalled last week from Triple-A Toledo. Marcus Thames was out of the lineup, but is expected to be back in left for the second game of the series on Tuesday night.

The Tigers already have had problems with oblique muscles on this trip. Gary Sheffield went on the 15-day disabled list last week after straining his left oblique coming out of the batter's box on a ground ball.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Noooooooooooo! There's no such thing as a "minor" oblique injury, unless its a Zach "Minor" oblique injury! Just ask CC Sabathia! He had a "minor" oblique injury, and wound up on the 15 day DL for a month! I seriously hope it's nothing major! Maybe that'll teach him to cut down on those "check swing" K's LOL

This season is going very well for the Tigers....

This year is a do over...wish we could do it over!

Still plenty of time to turn it around!


GET GOING TIGERS!

Pretty much a nightmare from Opening Day....sigh....but win or lose!!!

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

Injury occurred Sunday on checked swing

Sorry, I couldn't resist :haha:

hopefully he will be back fast!

No DL for Brandon Inge, but Guillen might be back at third

By JOHN LOWE • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • June 3, 2008

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Tigers’ Brandon Inge said after Monday night’s game that he doesn’t believe the muscle strain in his left side is severe enough to send him to the disabled list.

“I don’t need to go on the disabled list,” Inge said. “I heal pretty fast.

“If we give it a day or two, I think it will be all right.

“It’s right under my left rib. I can still catch and throw. It’s just a little sensitive to hit right now. It’s a key muscle in swinging.”

Manager Jim Leyland termed the injury a slight pull of an oblique muscle.

If Inge is well enough to hit tonight, he probably will start at third because a left-hander, Dana Eveland, is starting for Oakland. If Inge is at third, Carlos Guillen likely will again be in left.

If Inge can’t play, Leyland said, then Guillen will be at third, and Ryan Raburn could be in left. Marcus Thames figures to be in the lineup in left or at D.H.

It turns out Inge did more in Seattle on Sunday than save the game with a defensive play at third and then help win it with the walk that started a ninth-inning rally. Earlier in the game, Inge suffered the injury on a check swing.

He said he first felt the pull during batting practice Saturday.

If Inge’s oblique injury sounds ominous, it might be because it’s a strained oblique that has Gary Sheffield on the disabled list. The minimum stay for any player on the disabled list is 15 days from the date of his last game.

It appears Sheffield’s oblique injury is more serious than Inge’s.

Inge’s injury helped keep him out of the lineup Monday night and eliminated any chance that he would make a second straight start at third base. Leyland said that he had to be extra-careful to keep Inge healthy because he is the back-up catcher.

Oh gawd Poor Brandon Stop check swinging!!

GO INGE