Prince Fielder and the ironman's burden

Just when things looked as though they couldn’t get any worse for the 2014 Texas Rangers, they inevitably do. Wave after wave of injury beset the pitching staff, leaving an already lean group threadbare.

Then Prince Fielder missed a few games for the first time in years, only to learn yesterday that he needs a delicate procedure on his neck, a fusion to alleviate the nerve issues that held him out of action for the past week. This surgery, should he require it (the Rangers are seeking a second opinion), would cost the burly first baseman his season.

This blow cuts both ways for the Rangers. They paid considerable sums of money to bring Fielder into the fold, making him the big power bat from the left side who would anchor the lineup. With Adrian Beltre and Alex Rios, the Rangers could bash while the rest of their lineup skittered around hitting line drives and swiping bases.

Not only has that plan been put on hold with Fielder’s injury, it also never materialized when he was healthy. Fielder hasn’t produced for the Rangers, unable to reverse his slipping numbers over the past few seasons.

Losing Fielder costs them money but it doesn’t cost them much on the field as Fielder’s production is nothing if not replaceable. The walks and strikeouts are in line with his career numbers, but the power is just not there. His season line looks more like Elvis Andrus than Albert Pujols, the man who signed a comparable $200 million contract before the 2012 season.

One of Prince’s main calling cards, both when he signed his deal and when the Rangers acquired him for Ian Kinsler, was his durability. Before sitting out against the Blue Jays last weekend, Fielder was baseball’s ironman, with a consecutive games streak stretching back to 2010.

That’s the thing about durability - players are durable until they aren’t. They’re healthy right up until the moment their body (or fate) betrays them. Perhaps a solid record of health reflects a lifestyle with fine fitness or a dedication to preparation that yields a healthy body, but the grim reaper of injury waits for no man.

Phillies rotation stalwart Cliff Lee went down with an elbow injury earlier this week, and many active Major Leaguers expressed concern on twitter and elsewhere.

On the other side of this equation is a guy like A.J. Burnett. The Phillies fireballer faced multiple injuries during his time with the Marlins and Blue Jays. He was “injury prone” or “soft”, depending on which end of the bar you asked for opinions.

Until Burnett stopped being injury prone or soft and is now a 36-year old with 380 career starts, and an average fastball velocity around 92 miles per hour. Health is tricky and remains the greatest equalizer of all.

The Rangers aren’t getting what they bargained for in Prince Fielder. They wanted a durable middle of the order masher. They got a bunch of empty OBP and a guy who will only play 40 games this year. The Rangers thinkers surely came together, looked at their reports and thought “he can rebound, his bat will come around in our environment.”

But it hasn’t. Perhaps the injury in his neck is the culprit, a lingering injury that sapped his bat speed even last season. This surgery could produce a brand new Prince, one the 2015 Rangers will accept with open arms. Maybe some time away from the day-in, day-out grind will help him as well.

Try as they might, most clubs simply cannot forecast injuries. Treat them aggressively and do whatever they can to manage them? Sure. But sometimes a guy gets hurt and then another and another and suddenly you’re entertaining trade offers for Adrian Beltre or Elvis Andrus. How you recover from these setbacks is the true mark of a smart team.