Tigers sign Prince - 9/214 - Heyman

[Old Style]

That's exactly what I asked him. In addition, I want to know how the market will be better for him when he is 30 than it is now at 27. I'm anxiously awaiting his reply.

[jersey cubs fan]

A guy I know posted this on another board. I don't necessarily trust him having "inside sources" at the Rangers any more than I do (I know someone that works in their ticket office) but take this for what it's worth.

 

Not public news yet. Rumor is a 6 year back loaded deal with an out clause for both sides after three, which effectively makes it a three year deal.

 

The market doesn't seem to be there for Fielder to sign the long term deal he wants this off season, and he really wants to play in Texas. Hence, a compromise that will get him paid big $ for the next three years and THEN the market will hopefully be better for him to get along term deal.

 

We'll see. This is from a source inside the Rangers organization that has been accurate in the past.

 

the deal is backloaded AND it will get him paid big $ for the next three years?

 

Yeah, backloaded with an out clause getting paid big in the short-term doesn't add up. I still think a front-loaded deal with an out clause would be a good investment because you can pay him what he's worth the next 3-4 years and entice him to try for more just before he starts to decline.

[Little Slide Rooter]

at this point, if the market has truly evaporated (assuming there ever was one to begin with), why not seek a max dollar one-year deal and hit the market next offseason and try again?

 

i read an article, i think it may have been on BP, suggesting that this might be prince's best course of action, since the big market clubs either don't have a need at 1b or haven't shown much interest. maybe by next offseason, the dodgers have sorted out their financial issues and some other big market clubs are looking for a 1b or dh. he can probably get close to $25m on a one year contract so as long as he doesn't have a bad year, he could still be looking at a nice long-term payday.

 

Another thing is that as of now, the Blue Jays seem like the only team with a real opening at 1st base. However, normally big spending teams teams such as the Cubs(Rizzo), Mets(Ike), Rangers(Moreland), and Mariners(Smoak), all have a young 1st basemen who could lead them into the future, but could also not pan out. The Dodgers(Loney) and Marlins(Sanchez) could be willing to do some more spending by then if they decide that their guy is replaceable. If Prince were to wait a year or 2 for a bigger payday, chances are that between those teams at least 1 of them will decide they need a new 1st baseman and they'd be more inclined to give him a 5-6 year deal. White Sox are another team that could be willing to spend again with some money coming off the books and Konerkos contract up after 2013.

 

Cant see him getting an 8-10, especially as he'll be 29 by then. A 1 year deal might even be in his better interest because next offseason offers a weak free agent class as far as hitters go, but in 2013, he could be competing with Votto, depending on whether he's extended by then and Prince could end up in the same situation he is now.

[Clem Fandango]

If you can afford Prince Fielder you don't pass him up because you have Mitch [expletive] Moreland at first base.

[Sammy Sofa]

No [expletive] kidding.

 

WSR, saying that the Jays are the only team with an opening at 1B is ridiculous. The team this very message board is based around has an opening at 1B. I like Rizzo and hope he does end up kicking ass for the Cubs, but at the moment he does not present a sure option for the position and sure as [expletive] doesn't block signing a player like Prince. A single 1B prospect doesn't suddenly make Prince redundant, nor do medicore or average players currently sign to play 1B on other teams.

Edited January 20, 2012 by Sammy Sofa

[mookie]

Do the Indians not have any money?

[SouthSideRyan]

If you can afford Prince Fielder you don't pass him up because you have Mitch [expletive] Moreland at first base.

 

Or James Lolney

[SouthSideRyan]

Also, the Mets and Mariners are big spending teams.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Fielder is clearly better than Moreland, and they could use an upgrade at 1st, but it's not a dire need, certainly not enough to pay Boras' asking price. With the Dodgers, they just spent a lot to extend Kemp so might not have the resources to sign Fielder at this time especially with the state of their ownership situation.

[Sammy Sofa]

Not wanting to pay Boras' asking price doesn't mean the Jays are the only team with a real opening at 1B. Nobody wants to pay Boras' asking price.

[Rob]

I really hope Fielder ends up in Texas. That offense would be crazy good when everybody is healthy.

[AI]

A guy I know posted this on another board. I don't necessarily trust him having "inside sources" at the Rangers any more than I do (I know someone that works in their ticket office) but take this for what it's worth.

 

Not public news yet. Rumor is a 6 year back loaded deal with an out clause for both sides after three, which effectively makes it a three year deal.

 

The market doesn't seem to be there for Fielder to sign the long term deal he wants this off season, and he really wants to play in Texas. Hence, a compromise that will get him paid big $ for the next three years and THEN the market will hopefully be better for him to get along term deal.

 

We'll see. This is from a source inside the Rangers organization that has been accurate in the past.

If any front office can get this done, I believe JD and co. can.

 

A three year deal (or a deal structured to resemble one makes sense. Josh Hamilton comes off the books after this year and Michael Young after '13. Given that Hamilton's decline is likely right around the corner and Young's age, this could be a great idea for the Rangers. We'll see.

 

But the following lineup is pretty sick...

 

Kinsler, Young, Hamilton, Beltre, Prince, Napoli, Cruz, Gentry/Borbon, Andrus is pretty sick.

[Rob]

I HAVE PRINCE ON MY FANTASY TEAM SO I HOPE HE SIGNS WITH THE RANGERS.

 

Yup, it's that time of year again.

[mookie]

What about Leonys Martin? Is he not going to get a shot at being the starting CFer?

[AI]

What about Leonys Martin? Is he not going to get a shot at being the starting CFer?

I think he'll certainly be in the mix and they are paying him a lot of money. We'll see. My guess is that it will be a platoon, though it may be a Martin/Gentry platoon instead of Borbon.

[Backtobanks]

Fielder is clearly better than Moreland, and they could use an upgrade at 1st, but it's not a dire need, certainly not enough to pay Boras' asking price. With the Dodgers, they just spent a lot to extend Kemp so might not have the resources to sign Fielder at this time especially with the state of their ownership situation.

 

The Dodgers are going to be really big spenders next year, especially after having a few down years. That's the one thing I worry about with Theo's plan about rebuilding this year because next year there might be some really big market teams going after whichever FAs make it to free agency. In a "normal" free agent year with all the big spenders you wouldn't be seeing Fielder and Boras trying to save face with one of the games best hitters.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Rangers Co-Owner Prefers Hamilton To Fielder

By Mike Axisa [January 21, 2012 at 10:27am CST]

With the Yu Darvish contract all wrapped up, the Rangers have found themselves in the middle of the Prince Fielder rumormill whether they like it or not. Team co-owner Bob Simpson told Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News that the slugging first baseman is likely not an option for them at his asking price, and that he'd prefer to re-sign his own star player.

 

Looks like the league has spoken, and Prince Fielder is not a 7+ year investment. Didn't Theo and/or Jed say that they'd be interested in him on our terms even after the Rizzo trade? Maybe it's time for them to put their money where there mouth is, assuming they havn't already started.

[Cubs Evangelist]

Rangers Co-Owner Prefers Hamilton To Fielder

By Mike Axisa [January 21, 2012 at 10:27am CST]

With the Yu Darvish contract all wrapped up, the Rangers have found themselves in the middle of the Prince Fielder rumormill whether they like it or not. Team co-owner Bob Simpson told Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News that the slugging first baseman is likely not an option for them at his asking price, and that he'd prefer to re-sign his own star player.

 

Looks like the league has spoken, and Prince Fielder is not a 7+ year investment. Didn't Theo and/or Jed say that they'd be interested in him on our terms even after the Rizzo trade? Maybe it's time for them to put their money where there mouth is, assuming they havn't already started.

 

If it does come down to a 5 year deal and the money is right I don't know how Theo/Jed aren't interested. It would be disappointing to see talent like that on another team when we still have a glaring hole at 1B even with our AAA prospects, provided the price is right.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Rangers Co-Owner Prefers Hamilton To Fielder

By Mike Axisa [January 21, 2012 at 10:27am CST]

With the Yu Darvish contract all wrapped up, the Rangers have found themselves in the middle of the Prince Fielder rumormill whether they like it or not. Team co-owner Bob Simpson told Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News that the slugging first baseman is likely not an option for them at his asking price, and that he'd prefer to re-sign his own star player.

 

Looks like the league has spoken, and Prince Fielder is not a 7+ year investment. Didn't Theo and/or Jed say that they'd be interested in him on our terms even after the Rizzo trade? Maybe it's time for them to put their money where there mouth is, assuming they havn't already started.

 

If it does come down to a 5 year deal and the money is right I don't know how Theo/Jed aren't interested. It would be disappointing to see talent like that on another team when we still have a glaring hole at 1B even with our AAA prospects, provided the price is right.

 

Definitely. However, if the asking price does drop to 5 years, all of the sudden some of those teams who'd balked at the 7+ year commitmant will start perking their ears up again, and all of the sidden the dollar amount could start going up. Say we offer 5/115, then someone else is likely to offer 5/125 with an option for a 6th.

 

Regardless, something will happen by ST because Fielder's going to sign somewhere. I'm not saying he doesn't want to get paid as much as possible, but this fiasco seems like it's more Boras than him. If he doesn't sign somehwere soon, he's bound to tell him to get something done or he'll hire someone who will.

[Have a seat, Neifi]

Pretty crazy that there's a chance Fielder may end up with a contract half the number of years in length as Pujols. Pujols is obviously the better player, but considering the 4-year age difference, the respective talents of their agents, and the fact that Pujols's deal came first--seemingly setting the market for Fielder--I feel like Prince has to be one disappointed man right about now.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Pretty crazy that there's a chance Fielder may end up with a contract half the number of years in length as Pujols. Pujols is obviously the better player, but considering the 4-year age difference, the respective talents of their agents, and the fact that Pujols's deal came first--seemingly setting the market for Fielder--I feel like Prince has to be one disappointed man right about now.

 

I think that what it comes down to is that Pujols didn't set the market for anyone but himself, especially with WAR coming more and more into prominence. Despite Pujols age, he was a 5.4 last year, and that was a down year for him. Other than that, he's been between the 7s and 9s for the majority of his career. Fielders has been all over the place throughout his and while it's hard to imagine him not putting up an OPS at least in the .900s with at least 35-40 HR for each of the next 5-6 years, his defense is far more likely to decline than improve.

[17 Seconds]

i bet he still gets over 150 million

[Backtobanks]

Fielder is clearly better than Moreland, and they could use an upgrade at 1st, but it's not a dire need, certainly not enough to pay Boras' asking price. With the Dodgers, they just spent a lot to extend Kemp so might not have the resources to sign Fielder at this time especially with the state of their ownership situation.

 

The Dodgers are going to be really big spenders next year, especially after having a few down years. That's the one thing I worry about with Theo's plan about rebuilding this year because next year there might be some really big market teams going after whichever FAs make it to free agency. In a "normal" free agent year with all the big spenders you wouldn't be seeing Fielder and Boras trying to save face with one of the games best hitters.

 

Phil Rogers in today's Tribune wrote that the Dodgers sale could be completed by early February. Could the Dodgers still be in play for Fielder this year?

[Guest]

Fielder is clearly better than Moreland, and they could use an upgrade at 1st, but it's not a dire need, certainly not enough to pay Boras' asking price. With the Dodgers, they just spent a lot to extend Kemp so might not have the resources to sign Fielder at this time especially with the state of their ownership situation.

 

The Dodgers are going to be really big spenders next year, especially after having a few down years. That's the one thing I worry about with Theo's plan about rebuilding this year because next year there might be some really big market teams going after whichever FAs make it to free agency. In a "normal" free agent year with all the big spenders you wouldn't be seeing Fielder and Boras trying to save face with one of the games best hitters.

 

Phil Rogers in today's Tribune wrote that the Dodgers sale could be completed by early February. Could the Dodgers still be in play for Fielder this year?

No

[Have a seat, Neifi]

Fielder is clearly better than Moreland, and they could use an upgrade at 1st, but it's not a dire need, certainly not enough to pay Boras' asking price. With the Dodgers, they just spent a lot to extend Kemp so might not have the resources to sign Fielder at this time especially with the state of their ownership situation.

 

The Dodgers are going to be really big spenders next year, especially after having a few down years. That's the one thing I worry about with Theo's plan about rebuilding this year because next year there might be some really big market teams going after whichever FAs make it to free agency. In a "normal" free agent year with all the big spenders you wouldn't be seeing Fielder and Boras trying to save face with one of the games best hitters.

 

Phil Rogers in today's Tribune wrote that the Dodgers sale could be completed by early February. Could the Dodgers still be in play for Fielder this year?

No

 

Joel Sherman of the New York Post says a “surprising number” of team executives have told him that they think the Dodgers will “ultimately be in play” for free agent first baseman Prince Fielder.

 

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/22/mlb-execs-think-dodgers-will-be-in-play-for-prince-fielder/