Prince Fielder emotional as he ends career after surgeries

FILE – In this July 17, 2016, file photo, Texas Rangers’ Prince Fielder is greeted after scoring against the Chicago Cubs during a baseball game in Chicago.

But now, after a second neck surgery, Fielder can’t ever take the field again. For his career, Fielder is hitting.283/.382./.506 with 319 home runs and 1028 RBIs in 1,621 career games with the Brewers, Rangers, and Detroit Tigers.

Fielder just stared for a couple of seconds before replying, “What?”

The Texas Rangers slugger wept Wednesday as he said health issues were forcing him to end his 12-season major league career.

The Texas Rangers will hold a press conference today to announce the retirement of 1st baseman Prince Fielder. In nine postseason series, the 32-year-old Fielder owns a.189/.276/.311 batting line with five home runs and 12 RBIs.

“Finally, in Anaheim he got a few pitches to hit, and he couldn’t deliver”, said Scott Boras, Fielder’s agent.

Fielder, signed through 2020, had a cervical fusion on July 29 to fix a herniation between two disks in his neck. He underwent a similar procedure two years earlier.

Fielder, who delivered the speech in a neck brace, fought back tears from behind the podium. “I just want to thank my teammates and all the coaching staff”.

Promotion goes awry: Boston canceled a David Ortiz bobblehead promotion Tuesday when the figurine turned out to be “racially insensitive”, said team president Sam Kennedy. “I’ve been in a big league clubhouse since I was their age”, he said, motioning toward his sons.

The money due Fielder dwarfs anything that has been owed to a former player.

From the relative perspective of watching a great power hitter play baseball, it’s a shame. I’m happy I got to enjoy my career so far and play with these guys. No matter what, to them, I was always the best. The Texas slugger called his two sons his homies. Players who retire forfeit the remainder of their contracts.

Fielder, 32, was in the middle of his worst season as a pro, hitting.212 with just eight home runs in 89 games. A 12-year veteran, he is a six-time All-Star, three-time Silver Slugger Award victor and the 2015 American League Comeback Player of the Year.

He will finish his 12 Major League Baseball seasons with 319 career homers, the same number that his father Cecil Fielder had in 13 seasons but fewer games.

Fielder isn’t retiring, because that would mean he would forfeit the $96 million remaining on his contract through the 2020 season.