Omar

Infante

He was ejected from the game in the ninth after arguing balls and strikes. It will be a few days before MLB will decide on appropriate discipline for Infante. A fine will likley be deemed enough punishment in this case.

He has been one of the Tigers’ nicer suprises this season. We are not sure if Infante has the 20-home run power he has shown this year, but we fully expect his stolen bases to increase next season in a full time role.

.143 hitters can not afford to be late. Shane Halter started in Infante’s place. Manager Alan Trammell wouldn’t say whether Infante would start tonight, only that he’d better be on time. Infante is not a recommended starter.

Infante immediatley made an error when inserted into the game, and still cannot swing the bat without pain.

Infante might make the Tigers as a reserve infielder-outfielder, but he would be better off playing regularly at Triple-A Toledo. He still figures to be a regular at either shortstop or second base for the Tigers someday.

Not only is Infante hitting a paltry .209 in 33 games since his demotion, but Toledo manager Larry Parrish said, ''You’ll watch Omar [in the field] when we’re giving signs, and he has his glove off and is looking in the stands.’'

Infante could be back at shortstop tomorrow.

Manager Alan Trammell has been impressed with Infante’s play, and with his total dissatisfaction with Eric Munson’s efforts, may give Infante or Brandon Inge an extended look at the “hot corner”. If either Infante or Inge become the Tigers’ third baseman, Detroit will have the weakest starter at that position in the American League.

''Those are lessons that we need to learn,’' Trammell said. ''I made my statement. I talked to him. It’s over.’' We’ll see if it’s truly over tomorrow, when either Infante or John McDonald will start in place of Carlos Guillen.

John McDonald replaced him and ended up getting the game-winning hit. It didn’t seem fair that Infante was benched, as the ball he didn’t run out certainly appeared to be foul. It was a grounder down the third base line that took a weird hop and bounced back into play, giving the Red Sox an easy out. Magglio Ordonez wouldn’t have been removed if the same thing happened to him.