Dodgers suspend Miguel Olivo for ear-biting

The Los Angeles Dodgers, who seem to be persistently in need of catching depth, suffered another blow in the most unlikely of ways.

In a Triple-A game on Monday, Albuquerque Isotopes (LAD) catcher Miguel Olivo and shortstop Alex Guerrero got into a fight over a missed tag. Salt Lake Bee (LAA) runner J.B. Shuck was called safe after Guerrero did not get the tag down in time from catcher Olivo. During a pitching change, Olivo and Guerrero got into a small tiff that extended into the dugout.

In the dugout, the situation was amplified and made worse. Roger Rubin of the New York Daily News reports that video shows Olivo landing a punch on the 27-year old infield prospect and then chewing on his ear. Guerrero, who was in contention to be the starting second baseman on the Dodgers’ club this season, will need plastic surgery to repair the part that Olivo bit off. The Dodgers organization is continuing to investigate the situation but, in the meantime, has suspended the 35-year old from the Triple-A team.

Olivo, a 13 year veteran of Major League Baseball, signed as a free agent with the Dodgers in January and already came with a healthy amount of baggage. He was seen throwing a tantrum during his time with the Miami Marlins in the middle of last season due to not being happy with his role. He asked for either more playing time or to be cut from the team, neither of which the Marlins did. They instead placed Olivo on the restricted list, which prevented Olivo from playing with the major league team but also prevented him from searching for starting opportunities elsewhere.

It seems that there was a good reason that the Marlins didn’t want to…lend him an ear…when considering his playing time.

Rubin says that legal action could be pursued by Guerrero against Olivo. That would require…a hearing.