Tigers sign Prince - 9/214 - Heyman

[Game time is 120]

I want to post a link to this article but I am not familiar if we can do that here. But here is some new info on Fielder as reported by Bruce Levine just now.

 

Manager Dale Sveum said talk of the Chicago Cubs' pursuit of free agent slugger Prince Fielder has been overblown.

 

 

"At this point it's a lot of media talk," Sveum said Friday when he officially announced his first coaching staff as Cubs manager. "We haven't had any talks with Prince. I haven't had any conversations. Again it's a lot of media talk."

 

 

However, the Cubs remain involved in conversations with Fielder's agent Scott Boras, a source familiar with the situation told ESPNChicago.com's Bruce Levine on Friday.

[Guest]

As long as you aren't posting the full text of the article, you're more than welcome to post a snippet from an article with a link.

[Little Slide Rooter]

This isn't the first time we've been surrounded by uncertainty in regards to whether or not we'd land a free agent or trade target, but I can't recall the last time there's been this much on whether or not we're even going after the guy. I think that what it comes down to is that we have some interest in him at the right price and we'd all be better off ignoring all of the rumors and speculation, which sadly I am unable to do.

[minnesotacubsfan]

This isn't the first time we've been surrounded by uncertainty in regards to whether or not we'd land a free agent or trade target, but I can't recall the last time there's been this much on whether or not we're even going after the guy. I think that what it comes down to is that we have some interest in him at the right price and we'd all be better off ignoring all of the rumors and speculation, which sadly I am unable to do.

 

NOMAH

[Backtobanks]

I always find it amusing when people/columnists say the Cubs have no chance to contend next year as if it's set in stone. These are the same dopes who said that after 2002 the Cubs would not contend for years to come. The very next season we are on the brink of the world series.

 

Yes, there is much work to be done but to predict the Cubs 2012 season when we are still in 2011 is pretty funny.

 

Actually it's pretty easy to predict 2012 for the Cubs, especially if they don't sign a FA or 2 or make a pretty big trade pretty soon.

[Brett]

Not sure how much can really be put into the Dale Sveum statements - he said the same thing at the Winter Meetings. There are plenty of ways to talk around "interest in a guy," one of which is to say you haven't reached out to the player (which, technically, means nothing - you'd be reaching out to the agent until the very end of the process).

 

I also tend to think that IF Theo and Jed want Fielder, they're going to tell Sveum to temper his public comments about how awesome Fielder is and how much he wants Fielder on the team. Can't help at the bargaining table.

[A New Era]

Hell Epstein might be 48 hours from signing Fielder and Dale might not even know it. And if he does, he was told strictly, lie if you have to, we don't care, we're not even after him as far as you know. Infact, you might even be certain about it, got it? /removes gunpoint from head.

[minnesotacubsfan]

Hell Epstein might be 48 hours from signing Fielder and Dale might not even know it. And if he does, he was told strictly, lie if you have to, we don't care, we're not even after him as far as you know. Infact, you might even be certain about it, got it? /removes gunpoint from head.

 

that or: we just aren't interested in Prince Fielder

 

 

 

which would kind of suck

[Guest]

I always find it amusing when people/columnists say the Cubs have no chance to contend next year as if it's set in stone. These are the same dopes who said that after 2002 the Cubs would not contend for years to come. The very next season we are on the brink of the world series.

 

Yes, there is much work to be done but to predict the Cubs 2012 season when we are still in 2011 is pretty funny.

 

Also, 06-08. We went from 66 -> 85 -> 97 wins. Yes, I know we made some FA moves between 06 and 07 that we haven't yet this year but the point remains. We're not definitely years away from competing.

[Guest]

A guy I work with doesn't think Prince is going to get more than $15M per year in AAV and I got him to bet a couple beers on it. I couldn't believe he actually agreed to it.

[NewUserName]

A guy I work with doesn't think Prince is going to get more than $15M per year in AAV and I got him to bet a couple beers on it. I couldn't believe he actually agreed to it.

 

maybe that is his way of asking you out on a date

[Magnetic Curses]

A guy I work with doesn't think Prince is going to get more than $15M per year in AAV and I got him to bet a couple beers on it. I couldn't believe he actually agreed to it.

 

maybe that is his way of asking you out on a date

 

i'll bet you a back rub he gets less than 15 per

[Little Slide Rooter]

Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweets that a well-placed source tells him Chicago's interest in Fielder is nothing more than a smokescreen and that the hefty first baseman may wind up taking a shorter-term deal. In a second tweet, Strauss speculates that the Cardinals could slow-play Carlos Beltran and see what happens with the Fielder market.

 

Just more speculation by another media goon but something. kind of.

[Guest]

Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweets that a well-placed source tells him Chicago's interest in Fielder is nothing more than a smokescreen and that the hefty first baseman may wind up taking a shorter-term deal. In a second tweet, Strauss speculates that the Cardinals could slow-play Carlos Beltran and see what happens with the Fielder market.

 

Just more speculation by another media goon but something. kind of.

A smoke screen for who? I guess the jackasses have to write something during the offseason.

[Butterscup1679666578]

Yeah I didn't understand that tweet at all. Does that mean the Cubs wouldn't be interested if he was going to take less years? Because that makes no sense.

[Butterscup1679666578]

Sources told ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine that the Cubs are indeed involved in talks for Prince Fielder.

Cubs manager Dale Sveum and team president Theo Epstein told reporters Friday that they have not had direct contact with the 27-year-old free agent first baseman. But Levine's sources revealed Saturday that Epstein has kept an open line of communication with Fielder's agent, Scott Boras, since the general manager meetings in November. The Cubs are likely hoping that Fielder will be resigned to accepting a shorter-term deal.

[mul21]

Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweets that a well-placed source tells him Chicago's interest in Fielder is nothing more than a smokescreen and that the hefty first baseman may wind up taking a shorter-term deal. In a second tweet, Strauss speculates that the Cardinals could slow-play Carlos Beltran and see what happens with the Fielder market.

 

Just more speculation by another media goon but something. kind of.

 

That's definitely odd, especially because Strauss isn't one to typically throw stuff out there if he's not pretty damn sure of it. He's not just another rumor mongerer like so many of these guys have become. I'm really kind of perplexed by that.

[El Duderino]

the smokescreen comment makes no sense

[jersey cubs fan]

The Cubs are likely hoping that Fielder will be resigned

 

why would you hope that theo?

[Little Slide Rooter]

Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweets that a well-placed source tells him Chicago's interest in Fielder is nothing more than a smokescreen and that the hefty first baseman may wind up taking a shorter-term deal. In a second tweet, Strauss speculates that the Cardinals could slow-play Carlos Beltran and see what happens with the Fielder market.

 

Just more speculation by another media goon but something. kind of.

 

That's definitely odd, especially because Strauss isn't one to typically throw stuff out there if he's not pretty damn sure of it. He's not just another rumor mongerer like so many of these guys have become. I'm really kind of perplexed by that.

 

He even says its speculation.

[abuck1220]

i don't understand who the smokescreen would be attempting to deceive.

[Ballgame64]

The Cubs are likely hoping that Fielder will be resigned

 

why would you hope that theo?

I think the use of the word resigned in the context doesn't mean signing again with the Brewers, it probably means Prince has to accept the fact teams are not going to offer him 7 or more years.

[MWV]

No member of the Cubs front office, nor the manager, have publicly stated that the Cubs are pursuing Fielder. If there is any kind of "smokescreen", it is the Cubs feigning disinterest. If the Cubs conceal their intent to obtain Fielder, Boras cannot use their public statements as leverage against other suitors of Fielder, thus raising the price.

[UMFan83]

No member of the Cubs front office, nor the manager, have publicly stated that the Cubs are pursuing Fielder. If there is any kind of "smokescreen", it is the Cubs feigning disinterest. If the Cubs conceal their intent to obtain Fielder, Boras cannot use their public statements as leverage against other suitors of Fielder, thus raising the price.

 

Yeah but its not hard to use back channels to get work out that they are interested in someone. Teams do it all the time. As we've seen, the new Cubs regime, starting with Tom Ricketts is very tight lipped and do not let much leak unless there's a reason to. We might have to get used to not having 3 month mega threads about Brian Roberts and Jake Peavy.

 

Lets just say that if Hendry were still the manager, I would be pretty convinced that we werent going after Fielder, but with Theo in charge, I almost think the less we hear the better the odds are.

[CUBZ99]

No member of the Cubs front office, nor the manager, have publicly stated that the Cubs are pursuing Fielder. If there is any kind of "smokescreen", it is the Cubs feigning disinterest. If the Cubs conceal their intent to obtain Fielder, Boras cannot use their public statements as leverage against other suitors of Fielder, thus raising the price.

 

Yeah but its not hard to use back channels to get work out that they are interested in someone. Teams do it all the time. As we've seen, the new Cubs regime, starting with Tom Ricketts is very tight lipped and do not let much leak unless there's a reason to. We might have to get used to not having 3 month mega threads about Brian Roberts and Jake Peavy.

 

Lets just say that if Hendry were still the manager, I would be pretty convinced that we werent going after Fielder, but with Theo in charge, I almost think the less we hear the better the odds are.

 

I'm not sure that less is better, but we will soon see with Darvish and Fielder. I just hope that at some point, Hoyer and Epstein make even a small move to improve the team. So far this offseason we haven't see an improvement at any one position.