At 5’11”, 270 lbs, and 24 years old, Milwaukee Brewers’ first baseman Prince Fielder has a basal metabolic rate (BMR) of 2486.6 calories per day. That means that he needs almost 2500 calories per day just to maintain his weight after the effort of using his lungs for breathing, heart of circulating, and other metabolic processes.

To add in the fact that he’s a professional athlete and presumably very active most days of the week, you multiple his BMR by 1.725, according to the Harris Benedict Equation to determine the calories he needs to maintain his weight given his lifestyle. That brings his total 4289.385.

To put this in perspective, a cup of fresh, raw spinach contains 7 calories. A tomato has about 40. A serving of tofu has about 100 calories. Even an avocado, the unsaturated fattiest of the veggies, has only about 300, and you have to eat the whole thing.

None of that may seem relevant, until you think about how, after reading the book Skinny Bitch in the off season, Prince Fielder became a vegetarian. And it would take over 14 avocados, 10 blocks of tofu, 100 tomatoes, or 613 cups of fresh spinach per day to keep that guy at high fighting weight.

Hope no one else wanted to hit the salad bar.

The Red Hot Household has been struck by the dreaded flu-like symptoms this week, knocking yours truly on her booty for about four days. The Crack Technical Staff literally had to call to get me out of bed long enough to post about Griffey being traded last week, and afterward I fell back to sleep. I mean, I missed work. Do you have any concept of the state I need to be in to miss work??

Finally, I am beginning to emerge from the Nyquil-stained sheets and enjoy the pleasures of the waking world. And, though I’m having almost no trouble keeping myself upright as I watch tonight’s Reds-Brewers game, and though the once-searing pain in my throat is now barely more than a nagging ache, I have not been able to shake this voice affliction that makes me sound like a lifetime smoker/nightclub singer. Maybe we’ll record a podcast so you all can enjoy it.

I’m enjoying watching the Reds win for a change. Even if Cordero eventually gives this one up, we got to see Bronson Arroyo not suck, Gary Majewski suck for only an inning, and David Weathers get out of his own jam. Oh, and Prince Fielder shoving a guy 1/10th his weight in the dugout.

The Crack Technical Staff was telling me that the Reds’ record against teams with records over .500 is very high, while their record against teams with records under .500 is very low. So, they rise to the challenge against the leaders, and manage to suck even worse than the suck teams. Seems strange, but it also seems like exactly the sort of pattern this team has kept up over the years, like scoring among the most runs in the majors but failing to actually contend and hiring Dusty Baker.

While I was out sick, a Cubs fan I work with sent me a taunting email about the Reds already giving up for the season, saying it was earlier than usual. He’s right, but I told him that at least they weren’t giving up on NEXT season yet, which is a nice change of pace.

I also told him that it’s not my problem anyway, seeing as I’m a White Sox fan now.

But apparently not really, since I hung around long enough to see Cordero finally get another save. Dude, it’s about damn time! And Arroyo is officially a 10-game winner. AND Jim Day has a fan club. It was totally worth getting out of bed today.

This week on the podcast we talk fantasy baseball with Brad Stewart of MLB Front Office. I’m no fantasy expert, but the advice he gives sounds pretty sound, and the breadth of information available on the site sure couldn’t hurt your extensive baseball research time.

Dusty Baker should stop talking

Prince Fielder is a Vegetarian?

• “I tell people I don’t eat meat, and they’re like, ‘Oh!'” Fielder said, raising his hands and making a sour face. “They forget there’s so much other food out there. Beans, rice, tofu. You’ve got a lot of good food, baby!”
• Fielder made the decision to cut out meat after reading a bestselling book, Skinny Bitch.

The Cubs Mark DeRosa is undergoing heart tests

The Pirates signed Byung-Hyun Kim

• A $1 M Major League deal.
• Ray Olmedo DFA’d to make room.

The Astros signed Shawn Chacon to help with their rotation

The Cardinals signed Ron Villone.

Cincinnati signed Josh Fogg.

Joe Nuxhall didn’t win the Ford C. Frick Hall of Fame award

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