"Detroit Tigers' Prince Fielder" a phrase that takes getting used to

by Kurt Mensching on Feb 20, 2012 1:04 PM EST in Open Threads

I was quickly glancing through the stream on my Twitter program this morning and came across an MLive story headlined "Detroit Tigers' Prince Fielder: 'I'm just ready to get out there playing'" and it stopped me for a moment.

Maybe I'm not quite over that shock from a month ago. Maybe it's just that we haven't done a lot of stories on Fielder during the past couple of weeks. I'm not sure.

But it's still weird seeing those words bunched together. Detroit Tigers. Prince Fielder. Months ago I never even considered the possibility. ... Hours before news snuck out, I considered the notion crazy. Then out of the blue, it happened.

I suppose I go through with this in some way with every new addition. It's kind of like driving a new car. For the first couple of weeks, it's like you're in a rental or just keeping watch for a couple of days. Next thing you know, you're leaving receipts all over the place and there's a McDonald's bag under the passenger seat. Last August, Doug Fister was not yet a Tiger, he was a Seattle Mariner wearing the Tigers' uniform. By the time the season concluded in October, he was a Tiger.

So, we start of spring training this way with Fielder and a couple of others. They're Tigers, but they are yet to feel like our Tigers.

The focus may be on the big guy, but I feel like we need to give an extra spring welcome to Octavio Dotel and Collin Balester. (Gerald Laird is like he never left. He was just loaned out for a year or two.) You can extend that to Chris Bootcheck and other veterans in camp competing for roster spots, too.

No pressure, guys, but first impressions are everything. Just ask Joaquin Benoit. I don't think he shed his with some fans until the postseason.

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It's probably just me

But I have this tendency to cackle to myself while muttering “We signed Prince Fielder.”

"You, on the other hand, make Eeyore look like Rainbow Brite." -johnmoz

"I think of you more as the blue book style essay of sports journalism."-Kurt Mensching

by David Tokarz on Feb 20, 2012 1:06 PM EST reply actions

Cackle is a good word for it

I think I now understand how Yankee fans feel most off seasons.

by rif23 on Feb 20, 2012 1:39 PM EST up reply actions

Nah

Yankees fans are spoiled. If they don’t get the big signing, then they feel cheated. If they do, it’s business as usual.

I don’t think it’s really possible for them to have the kind of joy and surprise that Tiger’s fans enjoyed with the Prince signing this year. To them, it would be more like “Good. What took Steinbrenner so long?”

by Big Z in Orlando on Feb 20, 2012 5:10 PM EST up reply actions

Yankees fans just stand there wringing their hands,

slowly muttering “excellent” in a low, sinister voice while tenting their fingertips.

by MSUDersh on Feb 21, 2012 12:38 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

Mr. Burns: the stereotypical Yankees fan

Meanwhile, Smithers is clearly an Orioles fan.

Detroit4Lyfe

by Rob Rogacki on Feb 21, 2012 6:58 AM EST up reply actions 3 recs

Of course the Evil Emperor

will cheer for the Evil Empire.

by MSUDersh on Feb 21, 2012 10:41 AM EST up reply actions

Can someone make sure

that this gets REC’D ASAP, nothing could be more true than this awesome Yankees-Simpson reference…

Take off your white wig, put down your gavel and stop judging...

by Zaref346 on Feb 22, 2012 1:14 PM EST up reply actions

Obligatory Joke

I’ve been to fancy places with a hatcheck or a coatcheck, but if Comerica Park acquires a bootcheck, that will be a first.

by rea on Feb 20, 2012 1:21 PM EST reply actions

it still hasn't really sank in yet

I think it’ll be that way until April 5th when I see him come out of the dugout in our home whites

Did we really just sign Prince Fielder? Holllllllllly sh*t.

by tigers22 on Feb 20, 2012 1:41 PM EST reply actions

the best part (if the reports are to be believed)

is Miguel seems just as excited as the fans

"I'm a simple man. I like pretty, dark-haired women and breakfast food" - Ron Swanson

by rock n rye on Feb 20, 2012 2:33 PM EST via Android app reply actions

he usually looks pretty happy go lucky

Bless You Boys.com

by Kurt Mensching on Feb 20, 2012 2:41 PM EST up reply actions

From article on Fielder-caused tree damage:

Miguel Cabrera to the fans as he walked out to the back fields with Prince Fielder “Look at what we’ve got!”

by rea on Feb 21, 2012 7:15 AM EST up reply actions

Who wouldn't want a guy like Prince to protect him?

I LOVE Victor and what he did for this team last year, especially making teams pay for walking Cabrera (he hit something around.380 after a walk to Miggy) but a guy like Prince is an even bigger upgrade if there was one.

Take off your white wig, put down your gavel and stop judging...

by Zaref346 on Feb 22, 2012 1:17 PM EST up reply actions

My favorite part of all this

Is how well Miggy is taking this. There are very few other teams where a superstar like Cabrera would switch positions to cater to someone else. He really seems to be taking on the role of welcoming Prince and making him feel welcome. That last quote by Cabrera in the story was awesome too, can’t wait for the season!!!

"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." -Rogers Hornsby

by InLeylandWeTrust on Feb 20, 2012 2:34 PM EST reply actions

I truly believe Miggy just wants this team to win the World Series

he doesn’t have the typical superstar attitude… caring about his position, and his ego, and whatnot. I think that he’d do anything for this team, and I love that.

Did we really just sign Prince Fielder? Holllllllllly sh*t.

by tigers22 on Feb 20, 2012 2:46 PM EST up reply actions

i am proud

to be a tigers fan. at least i know my owner does what it takes to try to win. i just hope we as fans get out an support our team like true tigers fans do!

by yappy007 on Feb 20, 2012 4:18 PM EST reply actions

So true Yappy

even moreso when you consider the location of which all this takes place: Detroit. I love the city and to see an owner who is committed to winning like Illitch is should make all of us realize how lucky we are having an owner who doesn’t care if his books read red at the end of the day but rather have his team be known as baseballs best following the post season. We could be the low spending Royals, Indians, Padres, etc but instead we roll out a team with a $130 million dollar payroll all in the name of looking to win. I don’t think people realize Illitch’s willingness to spend because that’s exactly what he does

Take off your white wig, put down your gavel and stop judging...

by Zaref346 on Feb 22, 2012 1:23 PM EST up reply actions

Having been a fan in the 90's

it seems like a homecoming. I remember stories of his giving Tony piggy back rides and hitting home runs at Tiger Stadium. Didn’t think he would ever play for the Tigers though yet here he is.

by ScioTiger on Feb 21, 2012 2:11 AM EST reply actions