Mixed emotions as Prince Fielder is heckled and cheered – MLB
He is arguably one of the best sluggers the baseball world knows today. He is admired, emulated and – at times – despised in equal amount. His presence fills the team with confidence, his injury a dreaded prospect. He is Prince Fielder.
On Tuesday, July 12, he hit a three-run homer to guide the NL to an amazing 5-1 victory over the AL, adorning the team with first ever statistical record of first two-game winning streak since 1990s. However, it came with a few pleasant and unpleasant moments.
Because the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Justin Upton was overlooked and Prince Fielder was named for the All-Star game, the angry fans booed the player to the extent that even his children were full of sentimental emotions.
During the game, some overly angry fans did not hesitate to splash water on his children largely because Upton was given preference – along with Rickie Weeks, over the Diamondbacks’ Upton.
“It was ridiculous,” Chanel Fielder said. “It was very sad, trying to explain to the kids why people were throwing water, why people were booing. (Monday) night, we tried to explain to them, ‘Daddy didn’t pick Justin Upton.’
Such spiel is usually too much to endure for the ones who are otherwise unaccustomed to it. Prince Fielder, being the best slugger out there in the world, knew it well, but his children did not. Thus, all the jeers that came his way upset his children.
However, that did not deter him from what he invariably does in the big games. He hit a big three-run homer to help his NL side score a majestically impressive victory over the AL that eventually soothed the crowd’s anger.
An anger, which was brewing, saw a relative calm afterwards and he was cheered belatedly. He played an epic inning and got a hero’s reception afterwards. He was also awarded a silver bat for this rare achievement.
Asked as to how he felt for this sudden change in the emotions pervading in the ground, he said, “I understood. That just shows you how much Justin means to them. I didn’t take it personal at all. I think these guys (Jaydn and Haven) took it more personal
than me.”
Much that he has done on the field with awe-inspiring sole performances he has been maturing into a remarkably calm and imperturbable guy in such events. While hostility had peaked in the field, his was calm and relaxed.
In the hostile environment that prevailed during the game, the question asked was: Whether he should be compared with Albert Pujols, as he has grown older now and Prince Fielder is younger.
His 2011 season record has a lot if one has to look with care. With 320 at-bats, he has scored 53 runs that include 95 hits. He has scored no less than 22 home-runs with .297 hitting average. This alone distinguishes him from his contemporaries.
His career record has seen improvement. With 529 at-bats, he has 921 hits to his credit, holding a .281 average with 214 home-runs that have collectively made it 529 runs for him.
Having performed wonderfully well, improving his record with uninterrupted continuation, Fielder now sees a better contract to be offered to him. Given the fact that Albert Pujols is older and on the disabled list, it is about time Fielder was seriously
weighed as deserving option.
Whether or not he gets a contract that the player of his calibre deserves, it has become abundantly clear with each passing day that the player has the potential and talent to achieve bigger exploits.
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