For princely sum, slugger lifts Tigers
Fielder provides pop, protects Cabrera in order
DETROIT Detroit Tigers owner Mike Ilitch loves stars, but as a billionaire, he loves money, too.
Yet when Tigers DH Victor Martinez suffered a season-ending knee injury during the offseason, and Prince Fielder was still on the freeagent market, Ilitch gave the goahead to Tigers President David Dombrowski to sign him, giving Fielder a nine-year, $214 million contract.
It just might be the move that earns the Tigers their first World Series title since 1984.
“It’s been awesome,” Fielder said. “I mean, to get to the World Series in your first year here, I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Fielder, who provided the ultimate protection for Miguel Cabrera, hit a career-high .313 with 30 homers and 108 RBI. Cabrera, hitting ahead of Fielder, won the Triple Crown, batting .330 with 44 homers and 139 RBI.
“Prince has been absolutely terrific; he’s a better hitter than I thought he was,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland said, “and he’s more athletic than I thought he was. This guy’s really a good player.
“He was a little timid when he came over. He didn’t want to step on anybody’s toes, but he’s felt more confident to express himself as the year went on.”
While it did take time for Fielder to feel comfortable enough to be a leader, now it’s as if he never left, hanging around the Tigers clubhouse as a kid following his dad, Cecil Fielder.
“When I was growing up here the Tigers weren’t winning much,” Fielder said, “so I was glad to help give them a different kind of memory. We’re going to the World Series, baby.”
Long wait: The Tigers have been sitting around for a week, waiting for their opponent, and finally, they can board a flight to get this World Series started.
The Tigers, whose week-long layoff in 2006 turned them into a punch line during their World Series drubbing against the St. Louis Cardinals, made sure there won’t be the same repercussions after this layoff. They took only one day off, and had extensive workouts the last three days at Comerica Park. They have had three workouts and two intrasquad games, bringing up their minor league play- ers from the Florida Instructional League.
“We’re not dumb,” Leyland said. “We do learn from the past. We explained to them what happened in 2006, and everybody is on board.
“We felt we had to do something, to be honest with you. But I think a lot of people got the wrong impression (in 2006). They thought we were satisfied, and just sat around for a week, and were gloating over winning the American League. That wasn’t the truth. We just didn’t get cooperation from the weather.
“This time, we said, “Let’s let the hitters see some live pitching. And let the pitchers see hitters. You have to have as close to real conditions as you possibly can. We learned.”
It’s his turn: Tigers catcher Alex Avila was around in 2006 when the Tigers lost the World Series to the Cardinals but never played in it.
He was still in college at Alabama. His dad, Al Avila, vice president and assistant general manager of the Tigers, was going through the stress.
Now, Alex has a chance to win a World Series ring with his father.
“I knew what he was going through,” Avila said of his dad. “You’re a lot more emotionally involved when you’re watching the games, rather than playing. That’s probably the biggest difference. When you’re playing, it just seems like a baseball game.
“Obviously the intensity’s there, but it’s more just going with your gut and you’re just playing. You’re just allowing your ability to take over.”
Money time: Tigers shortstop Jhonny Peralta had the worst year of his career this season, but after the calendar turned to October, he has turned into Derek Jeter.
Peralta, who hit .239 with a .305 onbase percentage, has been a terror at the plate and on the field this postseason. He’s hitting .343 in the postseason with five multihit games and has played stellar defense.
“I don’t know how I’m doing it now,” Peralta said. Neither does Leyland. “Things happen. I wish I could put my finger on it,” he said. “But I think Peralta is moving better. He seems lighter on his feet .”