Robert Fick

Robert Charles Fick (born March 15, 1974) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. In 2002, he was named to the American League All-Star Team.

Career

The left-handed batter, who throws right-handed, attended Ventura College and later transferred to California State University at Northridge. He was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 5th round of the 1996 amateur draft.

Fick made his major league debut with the Tigers in 1998. Fick made the last hit in the history of Tiger Stadium, a grand slam home run against the Kansas City Royals in September 1999. His breakout season came in 2001 when he hit a career-best 19 home runs. Fick had another fine offensive year in 2002. He was named to the American League All-Star Team, albeit many attribute the selection being a result of the rule that one player per team must appear in the All-Star Game. In 2002, he also led all major league right fielders in assists, with 21.

Fick signed with the Atlanta Braves for the 2003 season. He was released at year's end despite setting a career-high with 80 RBI. He has since played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, San Diego Padres, and Washington Nationals, though he has not enjoyed the same success.

Fick was inducted into the West Michigan Whitecaps Hall of Fame in January 2009 and will play for Italy in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Defensively, Fick serves as a utility player. He started his major league career as a catcher, but has since played more games as a first baseman and a corner outfielder. He has a career batting average of .258, with 69 home runs and 324 RBI in 846 games over 10 seasons.

Fick's brush with controversy occurred playing for the Atlanta Braves during the 2003 NLDS, when he ran past first base, slapping the catching arm of Cubs' first baseman Eric Karros just as Karros was catching a throw. He later admitted that it was done intentionally. Braves upper management fined him $25,000 and manager Bobby Cox also fined him an undisclosed additional amount. He was released by the Braves shortly thereafter opening the discussion that the "dirty play" on Karros was partly the reason. The last team he played for was the Orange County Flyers of the Golden Baseball League.

Fick is currently a roving instructor for the Los Angeles Dodgers farm system and was acting manager for the Great Lakes Loons when manager Luis Matos was serving a two-game suspension in June 2015.

Trivia

• On September 27, 1999, Fick pounded the final hit of the final game at Detroit's Tiger Stadium, a rooftop grand slam, which was the stadium's 11,111th home run and the stadium's final hit, home run, and RBI.
• Fick is a former child actor. During the 1980s, he was an extra in Cheers, Who's the Boss?, and Webster. He also did a Gatorade commercial when he was 13 years old.
• Robert Fick was one of the eight position players still in the line-up at the end of the 2002 All-Star Game (Representing the Detroit Tigers) when it ended in a tie in extra innings. He also scored the game tying run.
• On October 18, 2008, Fick was inducted into the Ventura College Athletic Hall of Fame