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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, February 9, 2003

Former Iolani star eager for 15th big-league season

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Pitchers and catchers begin reporting for spring training as early as today, at least for the Seattle Mariners, but most teams report later this week.

Mike Fetters is preparing for another season in major league baseball. "There's no shortcuts to the top," he says. "It's hard to get to the big leagues, and it's harder to stick around."

Associated Press

Among those showing up for spring training is Iolani School graduate Mike Fetters. Of the 33 players with ties to Hawai'i who are affiliated with major league organizations, the 38-year-old relief pitcher has the longest tenure. This will be his 15th season in the big leagues.

"The average span of a major leaguer is three years," said Fetters. "I've surpassed that by quite a bit. I think a lot of that has to do with my desire. My love for the game is still strong and I work hard.

"I'm half Samoan and some people might think you're lazy, you know, the stereotype. Those from Hawai'i who've worked with me can tell you that it's no fun working out with Mike Fetters because I'll put you through the grind. It's the only way to do it. There's no shortcuts to the top. It's hard to get to the big leagues, and it's harder to stick around."

After the Arizona Diamondbacks declined a $2.75 million option in November, Fetters became a free agent. Splitting time between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Diamondbacks, Fetters was 3-3 with a 4.09 earned run average last season. His minor league deal with the Twins is a formality, he said. Barring a collapse or transaction during spring training, the Twins are likely to clear a roster spot for him by opening day.

"They're not bringing me to camp thinking I'm going to the minor leagues," said Fetters, who was here last week preparing for spring training. "If I don't make the team, I'm going home. I'll retire or try to hook up with another team. That's the understanding I have with the Minnesota Twins."

If he makes the opening-day roster, the Twins will be his eighth different big league club. He said he was acquired to be the set-up pitcher for closer Eddie Guardado. He is pleased that he is going to a contender. The Twins are the defending American League Central Division champions.

Fetters got to meet some of his future teammates last November in Japan during the U.S.-Japan goodwill series, won by the Major Leaguers.

"It's a young team," Fetters said of the Twins. "They're hungry and they're anxious."

Fetters resides in Arizona, but considers Hawai'i home. He has returned regularly each winter since 1991, and works out with Aki Yonamine, the uncle of Iolani baseball coach Dean Yonamine, a former teammate of Fetters. Aki Yonamine keeps Fetters from straying from the basics, the pitcher said.

"Every year I try to work harder than the year before," Fetters said. "I think that's the only reason I've stuck around is because I've been able to keep myself physically in shape, and mentally I've learned a lot and you can't be close-minded. You learn something new every day in this game. You take that approach, you can stick around quite a bit."

Ironically, basketball is Fetters' first love. He said he knew at age 8 he would be a professional athlete. In high school, he thought basketball would be his ticket to college after he was named state player of the year while helping lead Iolani to a state title. He was drafted in the 22nd round by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1983, but opted to continue baseball the next three years at Pepperdine. He was a first-round pick in the 1986 draft and signed with the then-California Angels.

Fetters' basketball background became a subject of a trivia question — "Which player was the 1983 Hawai'i basketball player of the year?" — at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, when he was with the Pirates, and at Bank One Ballpark, when he was with the Diamondbacks. The response generated some good-nature ribbing from 6-foot-10 teammate Randy Johnson.

" 'You were the player of the year?' " Fetters said Johnson told him. " 'You're kidding me.' "

But Fetters' experience on the hardwood is no joke at Hamilton High in Chandler, Ariz., where his son is on the freshman team. Fetters has been assisting the varsity, which he said was recently ranked sixth in the state.

"Basketball is always my first love," he said. "My way to get my basketball fix is to coach the high school kids."

Meanwhile, Fetters is just enjoying the ride of being a professional athlete. He does not know what he will do when he is done with baseball. He said his agent, Danny Horwits, has asked if he has an interest in becoming an agent.

Fetters said it sounds intriguing, but he has to consider his family. He has been married to his high school sweetheart, the former Tanya Galuteria, for 17 years. They have two sons: Bryant, 15, and Micah, 12; and two daughters: Tyana, 11, and Breanna, 8. Fetters said because his children have been raised in Arizona, he won't return to Hawai'i until all graduate from high school.

"This (Hawai'i) is home, and this is my wife's home, too." Fetters said. "I met my wife in high school. We're high school sweethearts and we're going on 17 years of marriage. Wonderful years. I wouldn't trade that for the world. That's been the most stable part and the most fun part of my life, being with my wife and my kids."

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