Tigers notebook: Cecil Fielder's bragging about son becomes reality

Detroit— On a day to celebrate Prince Fielder's arrival, Tigers owner Mike Ilitch told a story about Cecil Fielder.

"At the old ballpark, Cecil would come up to the box and he'd bring me food, and I'd say, 'Thanks a lot,' and we'd sit down and all we did was talk about Prince," Ilitch said at Comerica Park on Thursday. "'Prince is gonna do this,' and, 'Prince is going to do that.'

"And I said to myself, 'Just a typical father, bragging about one of his kids.'"

Ilitch didn't take Cecil too seriously until he started hearing about Prince depositing a ball into the upper deck at Tiger Stadium.

As a 14-year-old.

"Twelve," said Prince, now 27, politely correcting the man who just authorized his $214 million contract.

"Oh, sorry!" Ilitch said.

Years later, the Tigers had hoped to select Fielder in the 2002 draft. But he went seventh overall to the Brewers. Detroit picked eighth, and ended up with a shortstop named Scott Moore.

What's your number?

Prince Fielder chose to keep No. 28, the first number he was assigned at his first spring training with the Brewers.

The number was worn most recently by infielder Will Rhymes , who is with the Rays.

It's unclear what number new reliever Octavio Dotel will wear in 2012, as he's worn No. 28 often in his career — including last year with the Cardinals.

Fielder's father, Cecil , wore No. 45 in Detroit.

Where's the beef?

On Prince Fielder 's plate again, that's where. The slugger clarified his stint as a vegetarian is over. After flipping through a book his wife bought before the 2008 season, he made an effort to avoid meat.

"Let's just knock that off," Fielder said. "I was for three months, but I am over it."

Ready, set, shop!

Itching to get your hands on that Prince Fielder Tigers gear? You won't have to wait long. The Tigers say merchandise should be on the shelves in the ballpark shop "in a day or two."

Around the horn

Tigers DH Victor Martinez is expected to have surgery on his torn left ACL by weekend's end. Manager Jim Leyland still expects him to miss the entire season.

Of Martinez possibly returning late in 2012, Leyland said, "Is it a long shot possibility? I guess you could say that. But I'm not a betting person."

... Of those rumblings that the Tigers were considering moving Miguel Cabrera to left field instead of third base, Leyland said, "I don't think that's going to happen."

... Agent Scott Boras said Prince Fielder 's weight (275 pounds) and conditioning never were brought up by the Tigers in contract discussions.

... No word yet on where the Fielders will live in Metro Detroit. Prince's wife, Chanel , has browsed briefly online for homes.