"When Detroit's Victor Martinez injured his left knee last week, it appeared that the door to the top of the AL Central was slightly ajar. The prognosis called for Martinez to miss the 2012 season while recovering from ACL surgery, a big blow to the defending division champions.

What was to stop an industrious team such as the Indians, who improved their win total by 11 last year to finish second to the Tigers, from making another dramatic move?

The movement stubbed its toe late last week when No.4 starter Fausto Carmona was arrested in the Dominican Republic for claiming to be someone he wasn't. There's no telling how long Carmona, whose real name reportedly is Roberto Hernandez Heredia, will be delayed on his native Caribbean island. Still, the Indians recovered as well as can be expected by making a trade for right-hander Kevin Slowey.

On Tuesday, the movement skidded to a stop, the smell of burning rubber carrying from the front door of Progressive Field all the way to Comerica Park in Detroit following word that Prince Fielder reportedly signed a nine-year, $214 million contract with the Tigers. "