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Fowler was described at the best athlete in the minor leagues in 2008
(AP Photo/Ross D Franklin)
Who is the new kid on the block? Who is that six foot four inch two hundred pound man that runs so smoothly, easily, that it makes the expansive center field lawn at Coors Field look no bigger than a typical cookie cutter suburban backyard?
William Dexter Fowler has been the prized possession of the Colorado Rockies farm system for the past few seasons. He has the frame and physical ability to cover a ton of ground in the outfield, steal bases with the top sack thieves and should develop power once that 6’4” frame fills out. On April 8th, 2009 he flexed that muscle and hit his first home run of his Major League career. It was a lead off home run off of Doug Davis and a sign of good things to come.
Born March 22nd, 1986 in Alpharetta, GA Dexter Fowler was only 22 years old when he made his Major League debut in 2008. Fowler was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in 2004 out of Milton High School in Alpharetta, GA and tabbed as 10th best HS position player entering Draft by Baseball America. Fowler not only has physical capabilities but he also has brains. Fowler had scholarships offered to him from Harvard and the University of Miami.
The game of baseball comes easily to some and it is a lot of fun
(AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)
Fowler is a right handed player that can bat from both sides of the dish. In his last season in the minors at AA Tulsa he played in 108 games and hit .335 with a .431 on base percentage and a .946 OPS. He had 31 doubles, nine home runs and stole 20 bases. After his fantastic performance under Don Baylor’s tutelage in spring 2009 he skipped AAA altogether and started the 2009 season with the Colorado Rockies.
In 2008 he was selected to play in the Major League Futures game during the All-Star break at Yankee Stadium.
Fowler was a member of Team USA during the 2008 Olympics and won a bronze medal.
He played in 13 games during his first cup of coffee with the big club in 2008. In his first appearance with the Colorado Rockies he was substituted late in the game as a pinch runner and was subsequently picked off. His first base hit came on September 10th, 2008 against Will Ohman in the seventh inning against the Atlanta Braves. As stated earlier his first career home run was lead off home run in the top of the first inning against Doug Davis on April 8th, 2009.
Spilborghs will give way to Fowler in center field
(AP Photo/Ross D Franklin)
Dexter Fowler wears number 24 for the Rockies because as he was growing up he idolized the same player everyone idolized in the 1990’s; Ken Griffey Jr. Ian Stewart wore 24 in 2008 but gave the number to Fowler in 2009. Ian Stewart now wears the number nine which had been his number in high school.
Now that he is in the Majors he will be a fixture in the Rockies outfield for years to come.
2009 Update: Fowler played a big role for the Rockies in 2009. He started 105 games for the Rockies and stole 27 bases, including five in a game on April 27th. Fowler and Carlos Gonzalez became the face of the top of the Rockies order in 2009. The two kids have flash to their game and the ground they cover in the expansive Coors Field outfield is second to none.
Fowler looks to improve on his pitch selection and recognition in 2010. While his on-base percentage was good at .363 he still struck out 116 times. If Fowler is going to be the man at the top of the Rockies order he needs to get on base more often and striking out will not accomplish that task.
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