Dbacks See Another NL Rival Big Bat Leave for the AL
By Scott Allen
First it was Albert Pujols. Now, it’s Prince Fielder. For the Arizona Diamondbacks part, they can now say goodbye to both, as both have spurned the National League for the American League. With Pujols leaving for the Los Angeles Angels earlier in the off-season, now we have yesterday when Fielder left for the Detroit Tigers. You remember Fielder, right? He’s the one fans couldn’t give up the obsession of booing for leaving Justin Upton out of the Home Run Derby, at every at bat in the All-Star Game and subsequent visits to Chase Field with the Milwaukee Brewers, including the playoffs. Both players had their moments against the Dbacks over the years.
Fielder is getting a lot of money to leave for the AL. Quite honestly, I was a little surprised to see him land in Detroit, even with the history his dad has there and with the Washington Nationals chasing hard after him. That also is now another big bat first baseman to leave the NL.
This could mean over the next few years, Dbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt could end up being the biggest first baseman news in the NL. We can only all hope this comes to fruition. Goldschmidt will need to work on consistency. He’ll get there. He only has two months of Major League Baseball experience at this point. We know he has the power like Pujols and Fielder. Now he needs to work on boosting that batting average.
Of course no tears are lost on this end of things seeing either one of them bolt for the AL. However it does send two more superstars over to the AL, so it will be important for guys like Goldschmidt to take the reins. It doesn’t have to happen overnight, but with a glimpse of what he can do at the plate last August, September, and October, you wonder how patient people will be waiting? He may end up being a good or great player and never the superstar either one of those players are. It doesn’t matter to me and I’m sure it doesn’t to him either. All that matters is now two big bats will not be around to beat up Dbacks pitching and I’m good with that.