Victor Martinez, The Force Behind The 2018 Detroit Tigers

His 2017 season was cut short by an irregular heartbeat. A stint on the disabled list did not alleviate this problem.

He, ultimately, underwent a cardiac ablation procedure ending a dismal .255 average/10 home runs and 47 RBI’s season.

As an outsider looking in, his actions somewhat reminded me of Max Scherzer when he was in a Tiger uniform. Whether it was in spring training or in the regular season, Max seemed distant and aloof from other Detroit players.

Scherzer did not appear to be a ‘team player’.

Last year, I had the same feelings about Victor. Whether on the field or in the clubhouse the old team leader appeared absent.

In August of 2017, things came to a head following an on-the-field brawl between the New York Yankees and the Tigers. Justin Verlander and Martinez were spotted arguing in the dugout after Tiger players objected to V-Mart’s neutrality in the confrontation.

Verlander, apparently, was attempting to light a fire in the heart of Martinez. The attempt failed.