Detroit trip is special for Fick
SAN DIEGO -- Robert Fick isn't one to hide his emotions. It's one of the qualities that have made him such a hit among teammates in his travels throughout Major League Baseball.
The Padres' resident Good Humor Man from the moment he walked into the clubhouse in early May, Fick takes on a serious expression when he's asked about Detroit. That's where the Padres open a three-game series Tuesday night, and that's where it all began for Fick in 1998, just two years out of Cal State Northridge.
A young Tiger with everything in front of him, he homered in three of the seven games he appeared in that summer to instantly endear himself to Motown fans. He went on to produce 45 of his 64 career homers and 163 of his 275 RBIs in a Tigers uniform.
"I have a lot of friends in Detroit, a lot of fans there," Fick said. "Teammates, the whole coaching staff. I have a lot of memories there. This is a chance to go back for the first time to where I established myself as a player.
"I'm not going to lie to you. It will be emotional for me, that's for sure."
Fick was an American League All-Star in 2002, his final season with the Tigers. He batted .270 with 17 homers and 63 RBIs. But management decided it wanted to go another direction, and the popular redhead was allowed to leave via free agency, signing with the Braves on Jan. 6, 2003.
"I like those guys," Fick said, ticking off the names of former Tigers teammates Bobby Higginson, Dmitri Young, Brandon Inge. "It wasn't necessarily my choice to leave."
There were some hard feelings when he departed, feelings he now realizes he probably should have kept to himself for a change.
"It didn't work out; I learned from it," Fick said. "I said some things I shouldn't have said. I learned you can't burn any bridges. It's something I'm not proud of. I'm trying not to make the same mistakes I've made before."
Fick had his moments in 2003 with the Braves, driving home 80 runs with 11 homers while batting .269, but they let him go, too, and his next stop was Tampa Bay. There, in 2004, he hit the skids, batting .201 in 76 games, and now he's with the Padres, trying to kick-start his career as a valued backup, playing anywhere and everywhere, getting timely hits off the bench and playing with an abandon that has made him a crowd favorite everywhere he has traveled.
"Ficky's a ballplayer," Padres manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's versatile and valuable. He's been a great addition to our club."
Fick, 31, isn't carried away by his .379 average with the Padres in limited duty, with a .655 slugging percentage and .438 on-base percentage. He has high standards for himself.
"I haven't really done anything yet," he said. "I really appreciate being here, contributing. I want to do everything I can for this ballclub."
Fick has one distinction no one will ever take away from him in Detroit. He stroked the last home run in the history of Tiger Stadium, a grand-slam against the Royals' Jeff Montgomery on Sept. 27, 1999. He was still a kid then, about to spend three seasons at Comerica Park before moving on to other locales.
"They love me in Detroit for that," Fick said. "I can't wait to see some old friends."
The way he's swinging the bat, Fick ought to be able to get a few licks in against his former team.
Source: http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/
The Padres' resident Good Humor Man from the moment he walked into the clubhouse in early May, Fick takes on a serious expression when he's asked about Detroit. That's where the Padres open a three-game series Tuesday night, and that's where it all began for Fick in 1998, just two years out of Cal State Northridge.
A young Tiger with everything in front of him, he homered in three of the seven games he appeared in that summer to instantly endear himself to Motown fans. He went on to produce 45 of his 64 career homers and 163 of his 275 RBIs in a Tigers uniform.
"I have a lot of friends in Detroit, a lot of fans there," Fick said. "Teammates, the whole coaching staff. I have a lot of memories there. This is a chance to go back for the first time to where I established myself as a player.
"I'm not going to lie to you. It will be emotional for me, that's for sure."
Fick was an American League All-Star in 2002, his final season with the Tigers. He batted .270 with 17 homers and 63 RBIs. But management decided it wanted to go another direction, and the popular redhead was allowed to leave via free agency, signing with the Braves on Jan. 6, 2003.
"I like those guys," Fick said, ticking off the names of former Tigers teammates Bobby Higginson, Dmitri Young, Brandon Inge. "It wasn't necessarily my choice to leave."
There were some hard feelings when he departed, feelings he now realizes he probably should have kept to himself for a change.
"It didn't work out; I learned from it," Fick said. "I said some things I shouldn't have said. I learned you can't burn any bridges. It's something I'm not proud of. I'm trying not to make the same mistakes I've made before."
Fick had his moments in 2003 with the Braves, driving home 80 runs with 11 homers while batting .269, but they let him go, too, and his next stop was Tampa Bay. There, in 2004, he hit the skids, batting .201 in 76 games, and now he's with the Padres, trying to kick-start his career as a valued backup, playing anywhere and everywhere, getting timely hits off the bench and playing with an abandon that has made him a crowd favorite everywhere he has traveled.
"Ficky's a ballplayer," Padres manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's versatile and valuable. He's been a great addition to our club."
Fick, 31, isn't carried away by his .379 average with the Padres in limited duty, with a .655 slugging percentage and .438 on-base percentage. He has high standards for himself.
"I haven't really done anything yet," he said. "I really appreciate being here, contributing. I want to do everything I can for this ballclub."
Fick has one distinction no one will ever take away from him in Detroit. He stroked the last home run in the history of Tiger Stadium, a grand-slam against the Royals' Jeff Montgomery on Sept. 27, 1999. He was still a kid then, about to spend three seasons at Comerica Park before moving on to other locales.
"They love me in Detroit for that," Fick said. "I can't wait to see some old friends."
The way he's swinging the bat, Fick ought to be able to get a few licks in against his former team.
Source: http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/
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