Is he a mentor or a babysitter?
Posted in Player News on February 6th, 2010 by Dennis DuBayNews came through the wire, blogs, txt messages and courier birds that the Detroit Tigers have offered Andres Galarraga the role of “mentor” to superstar first baseman Miguel Cabrera. His duties would consist of “Being with Miguel during spring training”.
I’m going to decipher that for you all.
They don’t want Miguel visiting the pubs, drinking, and bringing his “Click-Clack” with him to the lovely state of Florida. Does anyone find this a bit rediculous? This is like hiring that nanny from ABC’s “SuperNanny”.
I understand that Miguel dropped the ball – big time. And at the WORST possible time to drop said ball. He’s said that he’s gotten help – that he’s taken the steps to make sure this won’t be a problem again.
So why the babysitter? I don’t see this as anything more than an eventual distraction. I’m not trying to be uncaring. Please don’t take that from this. If Miguel truly has a problem – like former first baseman Dmitri Young had – then he shouldn’t even be on the ball field.
Young lost his job with us under similar circumstances. He wasn’t really given a “second” chance per se. Once he dropped the ball, Jim Leyland lost confidence in him. They cut Young at a time when he was one of the better hitters on the team. I understand that he had the issues with diabetes.
He was still shown the door.
Now, i’m not proposing that the Tigers do the same to Cabrera. Opposite, really. If they feel he TRULY has a problem … then they need to address it without a babysitter. Without a nanny.
And if the problem isn’t really a problem at all? Put it in the past, and move on.