Why Did The Detroit Tigers Really Trade Prince Fielder?
Prince Fielder signed a 9-year, $214 million dollar contract with the Detroit Tigers before the 2012 season. He played for the Tigers for two before being traded.
It was a rough year for Fielder in 2013, both on and off the field. He hit.279 with 30 home runs and 106 RBIs, his worst year since his first full season, but it was his personal life that received attention.
USA Today reported on a radio interview Tigers outfielder Torii Hunter did with radio station WMGC-FM on the Ryan and Rico Show August 14 of last year.
“This guy’s a strong guy, he’s out there everyday, won’t come out of the lineup, no matter what’s going on off the field or on the field,” Hunter said about Fielder. “I mean, he’s a strong guy and us, as players, we know what’s really going on, and we appreciate him going out there every day despite…”
After Hunter’s cryptic interview, court records were found in Orange County, FL that showed Fielder filed for divorce on May 28, 2013 to end his marriage to Chanel Fielder.
Since He has never spoken publicly about the divorce, many rumors have popped up about it (And that’s what they are-rumors).
Fielder was traded November 20 to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Ian Kinsler. The Tigers also chipped in $30 million.
On November 21, former Tigers pitcher Denny Mclain, the last MLB player to win 30 games in a season, gave an interview to WBBL in Grand Rapids about the trade. Deadspin played a part of the interview: “A lot of pain between Fielder and another player or two. There was some information that was apparently withheld from Fielder that people knew about and I think that’s what sparked this thing as for him wanting to leave,” Mclain said.
“Remember there was one other guy traded this year which was one of our top prospects in the system and he wound up in Chicago. So, there really was a nastiness and ugliness here that was going on.”
Tigers rookie outfielder (and top prospect) Avisail Garcia was traded in a 3-team deal to the White Sox on July 30.
Mclain also claimed several reporters know the real story, but were told by the Tigers not to write about it. It should be noted Mclain spent time in prison for embezzlement, has filed for bankruptcy three times and was once suspended from baseball for gambling.
The Deadspin article also said Garcia and Fielder got into a fight in the clubhouse over the alleged relationship between Garcia and Chanel Fielder. It also claims that is how Miguel Cabrera, trying to break up the fight, reinjured his groin and not on the field.
The rumor (again rumor) has been around the Motor City since the trade.
In a peculiar scene, Rangers VP of Baseball Operations and General Manager Jon Daniels introduced “Prince’s wife Chanel and kids”on November 25 during a press conference.
[Image via scottwachter.com]
