FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME: THE STORY OF BRANDON INGE

After grinding out a tough 5-4 victory to start the second half of the Major League Baseball regular season, many of the members of the Detroit Tigers are enjoying a post-game meal or trying to finish up interviews so they can get out and see the sites of Baltimore.

One Tiger, however, quietly slides into a pair of mesh shorts and a t-shirt with the legendary cursive “D” on the chest. He slips by most of the media and out the door and across the hall to the visiting workout room.

Thirty minutes later, that same player quietly re-enters the room sits at his locker and takes all the questions the media could possibly ask him. After all, it’s just another day that Brandon Inge has dreamed about since he was a little kid.

The former Virginia Commonwealth University baseball standout is in his eighth season as a member of the Tigers. On this particular night, he launched a game-changing two-run home run in the sixth inning, and recorded several defensive gems at third base, a position he had not played in nearly a month.

While his teammates are sitting around enjoying another Tigers’ victory, Inge is busy trying to get better. After all, it’s the way he got to where he is today.

“I have priorities and I want to play baseball, it’s my love,” Inge said. “It’s been my dream and passion ever since I was a little kid and I’m not going to throw it away by not working hard.”

His journey to the big leagues was never easy.

After sifting through many scholarship offers during his junior and senior seasons at Brookville High School in Lynchburg, Va., Inge landed at VCU.

“It’s kind of funny because I had letters and offers from schools all over the place,” Inge said. “But throughout the whole recruiting process, VCU always had my back and I felt comfortable in the environment.”

His comfort was obvious as he showed he was a special talent from the first day he stepped on to the green grass of The Diamond. In his three seasons, he hit no worse than .330 along with 28 career home runs and 144 RBI. That helped Head Coach Paul Keyes to the first of seven NCAA appearances in 11 years.

“Brandon was one of the most driven young men we’ve ever had in our program,” Keyes said. “From day one, he dedicated himself to not only win championships as a team, which he did, but to accomplish his goal of becoming a major leaguer, and obviously, he did that too.”

The Tigers had their eye on him throughout his college career and made Inge’s dream come true as they picked Inge with their second round selection in the 1998 MLB Amateur Draft.

Just as Inge thought he got to a point where his dream was within reach, Detroit threw him a challenge before he ever stepped on the field as part of the organization.

“I had always heard the saying about life throwing you a curveball,” Inge said. “At that point, I was willing to do anything I had to to get to the majors, so when they [the Tigers] asked me to become a catcher, I accepted, because again, baseball is my first love. It’s the only thing I wanted to do.”

Luckily for Inge, he was used to contributing in a variety of ways. He starred on the infield and on the mound while at VCU.

“I was fortunate that I had pitched a decent amount at VCU, so I knew the mindset pitchers had,” he said. “When I look back, the three years at VCU were really the best times of my life because it helped me prepare for the big leagues more than I ever realized.”

It would take only three years for Inge to get the invite to the big league spring training. But with two weeks left before the 2001 season started, he was sent down to join the minor league spring camp.

“Most guys have these stories about how they were in Triple-A and got the call into the manager’s office,” he said. “I was totally different, I was sent to join minor league spring training with just two weeks left before the year started. Just a week later, I get called in and told that I would be their only catcher due to some injuries. It was the greatest moment in my life and it was good because I had a week to prepare, instead of being caught up in all the excitement.”

The big day came on April 3, 2001 when he saw his name scratched into the nine-hole of the lineup as the opening day catcher for the Tigers against the Minnesota Twins. Although the Tigers lost, he solidified himself as part of the organization’s future with steady play behind the plate and a .312 batting average through his first five big league games.

Inge’s next five years would not be easy as Detroit lost no fewer than 90 games in each of those seasons, including years with 106 and 119 losses, in 2002 and 2003, respectively.

“Those years were tough, especially being a guy that is used to winning,” he said. “Being a young guy though, I made sure to be in the ears of all the veterans like Tony Clark and Damion Easley, trying to absorb all the knowledge I could so that I could be leaders like they were.”

His years of hard work and dedication to the game he loved paid dividends in 2006 when his 27 home runs and 83 RBI helped lead the Tigers to the American League wild card and his first career MLB playoff berth.

“It was an incredible year,” he said. “To have a legend like Jim Leyland leading the way and to have a young stud like Justin Verlander come aboard and do a great job, it was just a great season, but we knew we had bigger goals than just getting to the postseason.”

It was obvious from the start of the postseason that the Tigers were for real as they topped the star-studded New York Yankees three games to one in the American League Divisional Series. In the ALCS, Detroit swept the Oakland Athletics in four games to reach the World Series for the first time since 1984.

“I can’t describe the emotions we had after that final out,” Inge said. “You spend all your childhood re-enacting World Series moments in your backyard and to finally know you’re going to be a part of history, it’s amazing. To be able to celebrate with our fans that had stood behind us all those years was the most memorable part. Just showing my gratitude for their support was important to me.”

Although the Tigers were unable to capture the elusive World Series title (losing to St. Louis in five games), it’s an experience that he will take with him the rest of his life.

Detroit rewarded Inge with a four-year extension that allowed Brandon and his family to settle into the city and know that it was the place he would be spending most of his professional career.

Fast forward two years and it’s not that same comfortable feeling for Inge and the Tigers.

After Detroit traded for a rising superstar in Miguel Cabrera in December of 2007, Inge was caught off guard.

“I felt horrible,” he said. “This is the game I love and I’ve dedicated my whole life to and to have it taken away from me, it’s the worst feeling I’ve ever experienced in baseball.”

Although the situation was not easy for the former Ram, he has done what he always has and worked hard to get better and help his team win, no matter what is asked of him.

“Brandon’s a guy that will do anything we ask him to do,” Leyland said. “We know that if we put him at third, he’s one of the best in the game. We also know that we can throw him behind the plate and he’ll be just as good. On top of that, he will play his butt off for you and that’s all we can ask for out of him.”

Inge and the Tigers are working their way back up the AL Central standings and battling for a playoff spot in the postseason. It seems most likely that he will be splitting time with Ivan Rodriguez behind the plate or at third with All-Star Carlos Guillen. Whatever is asked of him, it is sure he will go after it with all his heart.

“[Inge] is one of my favorite players to watch on this team,” Tiger Hall of Famer Al Kaline said. “As an older player, I love to see the players that will hustle and that respect this game. His respect for the game and how it’s played is undeniable.”

It's nearly two hours after the game has ended and only the clubhouse attendants are left in the locker room, but in the corner, Inge quietly sits down to watch video on the next night's opposing pitcher and prepares for another day of playing the game he has always loved.