Rangers' Prince Fielder earns well-deserved sixth All-Star nod
Prince Fielder was named to a major league All-Star team Monday for the sixth time. He’ll be the Texas Rangers’ lone representative in the All-Star Game, held July 14 at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
It’s his first All-Star honor since 2013 when he was with the Detroit Tigers. He had been an All-Star three consecutive years until an injury limited his 2014 campaign in his first season with Texas.
Entering Monday’s games, Fielder led the American League with 110 hits and was second in batting at .347. He led the majors with 36 multi-hit games and was third in the AL with a .413 on-base percentage. He received the most AL player votes among designated hitters. Former Ranger Nelson Cruz (Seattle Mariners) was voted the starting DH by fans.
Fielder has started at first base three times in the All-Star Game after winning the fan vote, twice for Milwaukee (2007 and ’11) and once for Detroit (2012).
Right-hander Yovani Gallardo had an outside shot at being selected for the AL All-Star staff with his June surge. He was sixth in the league with a 2.56 ERA and 10th with a 1.14 WHIP. It’s the first time since 2009 no Rangers pitchers were selected and the first time since 2007 the Rangers will be represented by just one player.
A year ago, Fielder was hurt for the first time in his career and neck surgery caused him to miss most of 2014. Fielder doesn’t view his comeback as any sort of validation after playing just 42 games and batting .247 in ’14.
“As far as this being a validation, I’m not sure. I’m not into that, I’m just trying to help my team win,” he said. “I’m just glad I’m healthy and able to produce. I think it’s an honor just to be a part of the All-Star Game because so many good players are going. It’s just fun to go to.”
During the off-season and into spring training his health remained a hot topic and was one of the team’s biggest concerns.
“It’s really a statement of who he is as a guy and a player,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “Because I know there were a lot of questions. Now, we look up and he’s having about as good a year as you could possibly have swinging the bat. He’s been a hitter that slugs and a slugger that hits.”
Banister called it a “complete joy to watch” Fielder play.
“The energy level, the excitement, the intensity,” he said. “There are times when there’s a certain angry intensity with him in the batter’s box and then there are times when there is this complete calmness, like he completely understands how the at-bat is going to go.”
Stefan Stevenson,
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Twitter: @StevensonFWST
This story was originally published July 6, 2015 at 6:58 PM with the headline "Rangers' Prince Fielder earns well-deserved sixth All-Star nod."