Detroit fans hoping Miguel Cabrera’s drunken behavior at the end of the 2009 season were the last of the slugger’s substance abuses issues received a rude awakening today when the Tigers first baseman was booked on DUI charges in Lakeland, FL. Suggesting the fates of Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski and manager Jim Leyland (or as one Detroit Free Press reader called them, “Dumbo and Captain Mumbles”) are tied to Cabrera’s ability to perform, Fox Sports’ Jon Paul Morosi has a sensible suggestion ; hire a babysitter.
Perhaps Cabrera needs a full-time mentor, the kind Josh Hamilton has in Johnny Narron. “I’m with him and I’m for him 24 hours a day,” Narron told MLB.com last year.
One of Narron’s duties is to effectively keep Hamilton, who has battled drug and alcohol addictions, from going out at night when the team is on the road. At this point, it’s not absurd to suggest that Cabrera requires a similar level of supervision or monitoring when he’s not at the ballpark.
Going back to last winter’s program isn’t a viable option. Cabrera obviously needs something more. Addiction is an ever-present threat, capable of ruining lives and careers at any moment. And it doesn’t give a damn when pitchers and catchers report.
If Cabrera and Hamilton would be traded to the Cardinals and Tony LaRussa’s guidance mlb could make a fortune from a reality show out of it. Though Missouri’s DWI rate would go through the roof.
i like this idea. Have them room together on the road (forgetting, of course, that they’re zillionaires) and see who makes the other break EDGE first.
The man could be MVP just as Hamilton was this year but let’s at least get the right position (First Baseman)right when referring to him. I’m not sure whether that was a mistake or general assumption that all substance abusers in baseball were outfielders.
indeed, Miggy plays first and has done so for a long while. It’s very hard to blog, operate a school bus andscalp Swans tickets at the same time. And in all seriousness, my heart goes out to all recovering substance abusers, but especially those who aren’t operating motor vehicles.