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Daniel Fields' Brother Describes Call-Up Moment, Says Situation Is Amazing

By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak

CBS DETROIT - Detroit Tigers minor league hitting coordinator Bruce Fields, the father of minor league outfielder Daniel Fields, had a specific moment in mind when he left the Cleveland Indians three years ago and rejoined the Tigers.

"He wanted to come back to Detroit to see Daniel to the big leagues," Daniel's brother Aaron said in a phone interview Tuesday. "That was one of his reasons for coming back to Detroit, because he didn't get to see Daniel play that often in pro ball, and he said, 'You know what, I want to come back to Detroit. It's a great opportunity to be home.'

"He wanted to see him to the big leagues," Aaron continued, "and it's happened."

Daniel, whom the Tigers drafted in 2009, received his big-league call-up Monday night.

Aaron was first alerted to the news by the sound of his mother screaming with joy.

"I heard when he called our mom, and she was literally going crazy,"  Aaron said with a laugh. "I thought something was wrong, and then when I walked upstairs and I heard what it was, we were all just very excited."

After spending most of his professional playing career in the Tigers organization, including 16 games in the majors, Bruce was a coach for the Tigers from 2002 to 2005 - and in the organization at the minor league level for many years before that - so when Daniel and Aaron were young, they spent lots of time at Comerica Park.

They were the kids in the clubhouse, the ones running around on the field, studying and listening to players like Craig Monroe, Carlos Guillen and Dmitri Young.

"My dad having played here and having coached here for so long, it's like home," Aaron said. "It is home. So now with Daniel getting his opportunity, like I said, it's kind of a full-circle thing."

Aaron, who also got drafted and played in the minor leagues, describes the entire situation as amazing.

"People don't get opportunities like these, like being from Detroit, growing up as a Tigers fan, our dad played for the Tigers, and him getting drafted by the team – just getting drafted, we were all very excited, but to actually see it through and make it to the major leagues?" Aaron said, sounding almost giddy in his happiness for his brother. "There are going to be so many people at the game that we know tonight it's going to be crazy.

"It's unbelievable," Aaron added. "Unbelievable. Very, very, very proud."

Aaron said Daniel had hoped 2014 would be his year to break through to the big leagues, but obviously that did not happen. In the offseason, however, Daniel showed himself to be more driven than ever.

"I've never seen him as focused," Aaron said. "He didn't take an offseason. He came home and immediately when he came home started hitting, went to the Arizona Fall League, and then came back, started working out and hitting again immediately, and he was very focused.

"When he went to spring training and had the success he had in spring training, we knew that this year something special could happen," Aaron continued. "He started off really hot, struggled a little bit, and then he really started picking it back up again, and last night he got that call."

In 48 games for the Toledo Mud Hens this season, Daniel has a .271 batting average and a .394 on-base percentage. Twenty-five of his 48 hits have gone for extra bases, and he has 32 walks.

"What him and my dad talked about before the season was you have to have a good eye – really, really seeing the ball in the pitcher's hand and not being afraid of taking walks," Aaron said, "because guys get in trouble when they want to swing and get on base, but he hasn't been afraid to take his walks, and the plate discipline has gotten better, and as a result his hitting has gotten better."

Fields will likely be playing in place of outfielder Rajai Davis, who is expected to be placed on paternity leave.

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