Could Inge Be The Solution at Third?

The third base situation so far for the Orioles this year has been a revolving door.  Mark Reynolds was supposed to have a stronghold on the position, but with his anemic offense and horrible defense, the Birds have explored other options.  Recently, in-house candidates Wilson Betemit and Ryan Flaherty have been getting starts at the hot corner.  The team also traded Josh Bell recently.

That situation, coupled with the Nick Johnson/Chris Davis platoon struggling, has made fans wonder what the team will do.  Davis displayed his power tonight in the Orioles win over Toronto, but is far from the productive first baseman the Orioles want.  Both corner infield positions are still question marks in my mind.

News broke yesterday that third baseman, Brandon Inge was released by the Detroit Tigers.  Inge, one of the longest tenured Tigers, was off to a bad start in 2012.  He lost his starting job when Prince Fielder was signed, forcing Miguel Cabrera to move to third.  The Orioles, a team desperate in need of a third baseman who is more efficient defensively, should give Inge a look.

According to Orioles writer Roch Kubatko's tweet, there is at least discussion:

#orioles are still looking for ways to improve defense, and there's some interest in Inge. Can't completely dismiss him as possibility
— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) April 26, 2012

I hope we move forward and continue looking into this signing.  If it unfolds, Inge starts at third, move Reynolds to first base or DH, and split time with Davis/Johnson at the other spot.  Another option would be to release Davis or Johnson and rotate Betemit as a DH/1B/3B option.  I think that his presence in the clubhouse as well as his versatility would make him a great asset to the team; one that is definitely worth investing in.