Last year at the age of 23, Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder became the youngest player in major-league history to hit 50 home runs in a season, eclipsing the great Willie Mays. So far this year, Fielder is without a home run through his first 12 games. He only hit one in spring training for the love of bratwurst! What has become of this first-round fantasy pick? Is his power outage due to the fact that he hit third in the lineup for the first 11 games of the season before finally flip-flopping positions with Ryan Braun and being returned to the cleanup spot? That might have a little something to do with it, but cannot be proven scientifically without a whole bunch of beer and logarithms and stuff. Does his lack of taters have anything to do with the fact that he announced during spring training that he became a vegetarian in the offseason? Um, no… and don’t ask him that to his face unless you like being scowled at by a very large man.
For a more complete analysis of what might be causing Fielder’s struggles thus far, I urge those of you with ESPN Insider access to check out my dissection of his season in today’s Inside Edge “Three Things to Watch” area. If you are already logged into the worldwide leader in sports website, simply click on the screenshot on the left to go to the article.
For the record, I am officially predicting that Prince will go yard tonight against the Cardinals. First of all, he is due and had yesterday off to relax a little. Secondly, that’s how things usually work out: you analyze why something hasn’t happened yet or why things are a certain way…and then it happens. Thirdly, he isn’t missing by much right now. Fourthly, he faces Cardinals starter Braden Looper tonight, against whom he has batted .500 (3-for-6) in his career with one home run.
Fielder is hardly the only power hitter struggling in this young season. Other notable “overdue” sluggers include:
Andruw Jones, Dodgers – 118 home runs over the last three years, zero homers this season through 13 games.
Carlos Beltran, Mets – 74 dingers over the last two years, zero home runs this season through 11 games.
Troy Glaus, Cardinals – 95 homers over the last three years, zero big flies this year through 13 games.
Corey Hart, Brewers – 24 homers last year, zero home runs this year through 12 games.
Filed under: Fantasy Baseball | Tagged: Andruw Jones, Baseball, Carlos Beltran, Corey Hart, Fantasy Baseball, Inside Edge, Milwaukee Brewers, Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun, sports, Troy Glaus
I’d knock your prediction about Fielder, but then, I didn’t predict anything, so who am I to talk?
Go Cards!
Two days off. Not bad, Bo, not bad at all.