Prince Fielder's legend continues to grow
RIDICULOUS!
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The legend of Prince Fielder grows and grows. Even when nothing happens, it grows. In late March, a Wikipedia bio of Fielder told of a 543-foot homer he had hit in high school off of a pitcher named Aaron Cook. Two weeks later, the same Wikipedia page said the homer had traveled 587 feet (and still credited Cook as the pitcher).
Of course Fielder did not hit a 587-foot home run in high school. Of course he did not hit a 543-foot home run in high school. But he did hit a home run of unknown but substantial distance off Cook. And Cook was no schlub. He was a high school star who later played four years in college and got drafted by the Angels, for whom he now pitches in Class A.
Cook says Fielder BELTED a slider 420 or 430 feet. The ball screamed over the fence and landed — assuming it has indeed ever come down — in the woods. Cook's teammates razzed him that Fielder hit the ball so hard it became embedded in a tree — or knocked one over.
"I go back to my high school six years later, people are still talking about it," Cook says. "Freshmen or sophomores are like, 'Aren't you the guy who gave up the homer to Prince Fielder?'"
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Not all of Fielder's legend is in the past. He still is adding to it in Wisconsin right now. In a state suddenly bereft of its greatest hero — BRETT FAVRE — Fielder could emerge as the new sports icon for Cheeseheads to embrace. He has the skills, he is the leader of the team, and his personality fits a fan base that wants to relate to its players. But Fielder is only interested in that kind of stuff as it relates to winning. He's the team leader at a young age because he's so transparent. (Sample quote: "Guys, how old are we? Why are we watching the news?") The minute he starts trying to be The Man is the minute he stops being himself. And he's having so much fun, why would he want to do that?
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"The doctor asked me if I wanted to cut the cord. I said, 'Nah, I don't ask you to take batting practice for me, so I'm going to let you do it.' He started laughing. He was laughing hysterically. I had to say, 'Hey, hey, it's not funny time now. Let's get it going.'"
He teases closer Eric Gagne for wearing green socks. Then Fielder adds, "I can't say anything." By way of explanation, he grabs a sock out of his locker and holds it up. "BAM!" Then he grabs the other. Only it isn't really the right other. The socks he put on in the dark that morning do not match. At least they're both black. He laughs at himself.
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The TV is on in the clubhouse. Fielder is watching, so it's not the news, it's baseball. The sound is off ... on the TV. "WHY IS HE STARTING HIM OFF WITH THAT?" Fielder wonders. The pitcher's offense goes unnoted, though it seems safe to say Fielder would capitalize on it if the pitcher repeated it to him. He crushes mistakes. Good pitches, too.
The go-to quote from Brewers players this year is, "See the ball, hit the ball." Catcher Jason Kendall brought it with him when he joined the team in the offseason, and the rest of the players have adopted it, much to the chagrin of the team's beat writers.
Fielder lives by that motto. He can't pick up a ball's rotation when it leaves a pitcher's hand and is skeptical of hitters who say they can. He'll think he hit a slider only to watch video later and find out it was something else. He rarely sits on a fastball or slider or curve or changeup or anything. His hands and wrists are so split-second fast, he can get his bat out in front of any pitch. He might not know what's coming, but he knows a mistake when he sees one. And when he sees one, it's goodbye — er — GOODBYE!
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