Fowler relishes warm return to Wrigley

Friday could not have begun better for Dexter Fowler.

The former center fielder of the Chicago Cubs walked out into the bright sunshine of Wrigley Field and was greeted warmly as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Fowler strode to the area behind home plate where former teammates and management members were waiting to present him with his World Series ring.

Players Anthony Rizzo and Jason Heyward gave Fowler his ring, and he was greeted warmly by team chairman Tom Ricketts, baseball president Theo Epstein, business president Crane Kenney, general manager Jed Hoyer and field manager Joe Maddon.

"It was awesome, and like I said, I finally got my ring," Fowler said. "I haven't got a chance to look at it, but they treated me first-class."

Fans cheered as the videoboard played a tribute to Fowler.

"I talk to Riz; I talk to Jay-Hey," Fowler said as he met with the media in the visitors dugout before the game. "I talk to the boys over there. They still text me. We text back and forth, joking around. We've still got a good relationship. We'll come out here. It's between the lines. But then after the game, might have some dinner or a drink or something and chill."

When the game began, Fowler wasted no time getting the Cardinals started as he homered on a 3-2 pitch from John Lackey to lead off.

Fowler was one of the most popular Cubs in the clubhouse the past two seasons. He also was the catalyst from the leadoff spot. He signed a five-year, $82.5 million deal with the Cardinals in the off-season. Fowler has come on at the plate lately, but a slow start has his batting line at .232/.320/.446 with 8 homers and 20 RBI.

"I was hitting balls right at guys," he said. "Had no luck. Sometimes you look at that balls in play, and it's not adding up. They say it's a marathon. Keep doing it, and hopefully it even out."

He seemed to relish the ovation he got, especially as it rarely happens for a St. Louis player.

"It's good to hear," he said. "Hopefully a lot of cheers, not a lot of boos. You know how that goes. It's a rivalry. I understand that. We accomplished something that hadn't been done in a lifetime."

Heyward said he enjoyed presenting the ring to his friend.

"It was cool for him to get his ring," he said. "We all got to feel that on the field. For the fans to show him the love and respect, all that stuff, unbelievable to see that for him."