Prince Fielder Won’t Be an Arizona Diamonback

Milwaukee Brewers first basemen Prince Fielder will enter free agency
after this season and I think we can mark The Arizona Diamondbacks off
of his list for teams to play for in 2012. Fans in Arizona didn’t show
Fielder love this week at The All-Star Game in Phoenix. Fielder was
booed heavily during Monday’s Home Run Derby. This year Major League
Baseball went to a format in which a captain was appointed for both The
National and American Leagues. Fielder was The National League captain
and was allowed to pick three players for the squad. Fielder didn’t pick
Diamondback right fielder Justin Upton and therefore drew the ire of
fans. What added fuel to the fire is that Fielder chose his teammate
from Milwaukee Rickie Weeks who only hit three long balls in the
competition.

According to Yahoo.com, during Major League Baseball’s pregame
festivities Tuesday, the car that was carrying Fielder along with his
wife and two sons was pelted with water bottles to add on to more boos
that he received during The All-Star parade. Fielder had the right to
choose whomever he wanted to and being that Upton wasn’t picked, fans in
Arizona do not have the right to treat Fielder and his family like
that.

Last year during The American League Championship Series, the wife of
Texas Rangers pitcher Cliff Lee had beer thrown at her as well as having
obscenities hurled her way fans in New York at Yankee Stadium. After
the season Lee was a highly coveted free agent by The Yankees who
ultimately saw him sign with The Philadelphia Phillies.

I am not saying that The Diamondbacks will put their hat into The
Fielder sweepstakes, but the actions of some fans won’t make it easy. I
am not saying all fans in Arizona are like the ones who were despicable,
but in this case a few bad apples could spoil the bunch. When Fielder
hits homers they are usually tape measure shots well over 400 feet. In
seven seasons Fielder has already tallied over 200 home runs. Where
Fielder plays next year is still open for debate, but I’ll bet the farm
it won’t be in Phoenix.