Prince Fielder will not be able to come back after a second neck surgery.
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Once one of the most durable players in the game, Fielder hangs up his cleats after an injury-riddled two-and-a-half seasons with the Rangers.
Just like that, the career of one of this generation’s preeminent sluggers has ended. Instead, he talked about those who helped him this season, namely Beasley and assistant hitting coach Justin Mashore, and all the times he celebrated division titles and playoff series wins.
Fielder departed Milwaukee following that 2011 season, signing a nine-year, $214 million free-agent contract with the Detroit Tigers.
Jadyn and Haven Fielder had become fixtures in the clubhouse since the Rangers acquired their father in a trade with the Detroit Tigers in 2014.
The 32-year-old Fielder recently underwent his second neck surgery in a span of just over two years.
An MRI showed a herniation between Fielder’s C4 and C5 disks, just above where he first had surgery in May 2014. He spoke glowingly of his two teams at his news conference – the Rangers and Team Fielder.
There are few ties remaining in Milwaukee from Fielder’s era. “I’m going to really miss being around those guys”, he said. “She would never let me feel any less about myself”. Everything you hear about him is how great a teammate he was. “I’m proud to say that I got to be his teammate”. “I’m sure it’s a devastating thing for him and his family”. “You rarely see him like that”. He was here for a long time and had such a tremendous impact on this organization and city. He played so hard, competed so hard every day. “That’s the only thing that really hurts about not being able to play is that my brain was really good, with my body, just, you know, it just gave out”.
While Fielder will probably always be remembered for his tape-measure homers – his 230 as a Brewer rank third in franchise history – it was his iron-man approach to the game that might have been more impressive.
Braun still remembers Fielder’s take-no-prisoners approach, and how he maintained that intensity over the course of his career.
“I’m still going to be with the fellas”, he said. He enjoyed playing the game. Especially for a guy with his build, it was incredibly impressive just to see the way he competed. “I haven’t thought that far”. “He was just so much fun to watch”. Over 12 seasons, he finished with a.283 career batting average, a.506 slugging percentage, an.887 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, 319 home runs and 1,028 RBIs.
Fielder did manage to hit eight round-trippers for the Rangers this season, but when he did go yard, it was usually the baseball equivalent of a chip shot in golf. His last game was July 18. He was hitting.210 with five homers and 29 RBI in 85 games this season.
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“I came home and told them what the doctor said, “Fielder said”. “He’ll bounce back. I know he’s struggled, but he’ll bounce back”.
