Usually you’ll need to tune in to an episode of All My Children or other daytime soap opera to get the level of drama that evidently dominated the Detroit Tigers locker room last season.
Fielder, who filed for divorce from his wife in May, likely did so because of an ongoing affair she was having with Fielder’s teammate, Tigers outfielder Avisail Garcia. Fielder’s statistically down season aside, this domestic issue between Fielder and Garcia also seemingly sheds light on Cabrera’s injury situation among other things.
According to Diamond Hoggers, when the affair became public to the clubhouse, Garcia and Cabrera got into an altercation, which resulted in Cabrera reinjuring his groin, exacerbating an issue that had been nagging him for several months.
In the resulting aftermath, Garcia was promptly traded to the White Sox, removing him from the team entirely (and becoming a victim of a vigilante Wikipedia edit). Fielder finished the season in disappointing fashion (for his standards) and was subsequently traded to Texas in possible ‘clubhouse cleansing’ move this offseason for Ian Kinsler.
It’s still unclear how much truth there are to these rumors, but if valid, the Tigers wanted no part of it. There’s nothing more detrimental to a clubhouse than a cancerous scandal and teams are quick to unload players in similar situations.
The Red Sox cleaned house after their last place finish in 2011 that was low-lighted by players drinking beer and eating fried chicken in the clubhouse during games. Similarly, following a televised quarrel in the dugout with Barry Bonds, Jeff Kent, arguably the best second baseman over the past 25 years was allowed to leave as a free agent.
Either way, the Tigers told Texas he’s their problem now and are starting over – good for them. As for Garcia, still no word on whether there are any bookies taking bets on whose wife he will sleep with next.
