As the Milwaukee Brewers prepared on Monday to announce a trade with the Cleveland Indians that would bring ace pitcher CC Sabathia to Miller Park, the ground of the National League shook, presumably with anticipation and fear.
The anxiety wasn't because Milwaukee now has two front-end starters in Sabathia and Ben Sheets and could now be poised to make a run at the Chicago Cubs for the league and NL Central's best record.
No, the ground shaking stemmed from a different pairing that Milwaukee has lined up: Combining Sabathia and first baseman Prince Fielder, to make possibly the fattest pair of teammates in history.
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Sabathia, listed at 290 lbs., is easily the biggest pitcher in the bigs, and Fielder, though perhaps still smaller than his father Cecil, is possibly the only person to ever gain weight by becoming a vegetarian, listed generously this year at 270 lbs.
Experts and pundits on the matter might argue for the 1997 Red Sox as the best pairing of fat ballplayers.
That team trotted out Mo Vaughn (275 lbs.), who later was forced to retire by his weight issues and the problems it caused for his knees and back, along with El Guapo, Rich Garces, who has possibly the friendliest weight listing of all-time for a pitcher who pushed three bills, at 250 lbs.
While the '97 Bo Sox made Fenway Park rumble with their weight, the combined listed figures of Vaughn and Garces leave them 35 lbs lighter than the new look Brewers, making Fielder and Sabathia the new heavyweight champions of Major League Baseball.
Could it have happened in a better place than Milwaukee?
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about 1 month ago
I think the Brewers will also lead the league in baggy uniforms: Sabathia, Fielder, and Sheets have some of the floppiest in the league, and I can't think of anyone on that team who doesn't sport the long, baggy pants look.
You're right, too, it's the perfect team for Milwaukee.
about 1 month ago
I wouldn't say CC is easily the biggest pitcher in the bigs. Chris Britton of the Yanks and Bobby Jenks are both 275. Jonathan Broxton is 288. He's the biggest, but not by a huge margin.
Always interesting looking at things like this though.
from about 1 month ago
Joba is also pretty portly in those pinstripes!
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