This season's 'iron man' is … Prince Fielder

By Sep 25, 2009, 2:00 PM EDT
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Prince Fielder receives a lot of criticism for his weight and the presumed lack of conditioning that comes with it, but as Adam McCalvy of MLB.com notes he’s the only player in baseball to appear in all of his team’s games this season.
Fielder has started at first base and batted cleanup in each of the Brewers’ first 153 games and plans to maintain his perfect attendance down the stretch:

Fielder recalled coming out of a Little League game when he was 12 years old, after fouling a pitch off his foot. “I came out of the game, and I remember someone being [upset]. They were like, ‘I think you’re all right,'” Fielder said. “That made me feel bad. I didn’t like the way I felt. So from then on, I wanted to play every day.

“I just felt soft. I didn’t like it. If I’m hurt, it’s one thing, but if I can to play, I want to play.” Fielder said he has fought through aches and pains this season, but never came close to asking for a day off. Manager Ken Macha never considered giving him one. “Not even close,” Macha said.

Interestingly, at least four players have appeared in 162 games every year since the strike-shortened 1994 and 1995 seasons, with a total of 76 different 162-game players during that 14-year stretch. And now suddenly Fielder is the only guy with a shot to do it this season. Coincidence or are teams more focused on giving their stars at least an occasional day off?
Fielder, incidentally, is hitting .297/.408/.595 with 42 homers, 34 doubles, 101 walks, and a league-leading 132 RBIs, including .282/.386/.600 with six homers and seven doubles in 23 games this month.

Orioles sign OF Aaron Hicks, put Cedric Mullins on 10-day IL with groin strain

Associated PressMay 31, 2023, 11:07 AM EDT
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
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BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles signed outfielder Aaron Hicks less than 24 hours after Cedric Mullins went down with a strained right groin.

Mullins went on the 10-day injured list, but the Orioles are hoping Hicks can help defensively in the spacious outfield at Camden Yards. Hicks was released last week by the New York Yankees with more than 2 1/2 seasons left on his contract.

“We had noticed that he was a free agent even before the injury,” Orioles general manager Mike Elias said. “When the injury occurred and it became pretty clear this was going to be an IL, it seemed like a good fit even more so at that time.”

The Orioles are responsible for paying Hicks just $483,871, a prorated share of the $720,000 minimum salary. The Yankees owe him the rest of his $10.5 million salary this year, plus $9.5 million in each of the next two seasons and a $1 million buyout of a 2026 team option.

The 33-year-old Hicks hit just .188 in 28 games for the Yankees this year.

“We have stuff that we look at from a scouting and evaluation perspective,” Elias said. “It’s very different from just looking at the back of a baseball card, and we hope that we get a bounceback from anyone we bring here.”

Hicks batted .216 last season.

“Hopefully that’s a good thing for him,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of the Baltimore deal. “A lot of time here and a lot of good things happened for him here. I know the last couple of years have been a struggle. But hopefully it’s a good opportunity for him and certainly wish him well. Not too well being in our division and a team we’re chasing, but hopefully it’s a really good fit for him.”

Mullins left a loss to Cleveland after he pulled up while running out an infield grounder. Outfielder Colton Cowser – the fifth pick in the draft two years ago – is hitting .331 at Triple-A Norfolk, but he went on the IL in the past couple weeks.

“Certainly he was building a case towards promotion consideration prior to his injury and prior to Cedric’s injury,” Elias said. “We’ll just see where we’re at.”

Hicks was active for the game but not in the starting lineup. Austin Hays, normally Baltimore’s left field, was in Mullins’ usual spot in center.

When the wall in left at Camden Yards was pushed significantly back before last season, it made left field a bigger challenge defensively.

“In this park … you really need two center fielders,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Aaron’s got a lot of center-field experience. Played left field here before also. Brings the defensive aspect and then the switch-hitting.”