O/T, Prince Fielder to Tigers for 9 year deal
 

O/T, Prince Fielder to Tigers for 9 year deal, 214 million.

Great News for Detroit.

Joe

Too much IMO, anything over 5 years was too long. Great for the short term though. Him and Cabrera, plus that pitching staff? They look dangerous in the short run.

If you want 9 nine years worth better get him a treadmill.
Congrats to the Tiger fans, your team just got better!

With Cabrera, and now Fielder, they certainly have increased their team BMI.

Of course it is to long but he might help with a couple of World Series runs.

I'm Happy:)

Joe

They're going to need a bigger dugout.

$214 million....chump change.

At least he and Pujols are now in the american league. Helps the Cubbies to have a chance to get to the post season.

Addition by subtraction, leave it to a Cubs fan to find the silver lining!
Actually it helps the Cards too! :)

So much for using V-Mart as the DH. They used to have the luxury of platooning V-Mart and using their other catcher (Alex Avila - aint so shabby) which gave them some flexibility with V-Mart. There's no way V-Mart takes 1B or DH from Cabrerra or Fielder and they have a pretty good young catcher in Avila. Looks like V-Mart may be in for some reduced playing time. Oddly enough the Tigers signed V-Mart last year to a few year contract for some decent cash. The Tigers must be looking to make a huge push.

He was injured last week, possibly out for the year. Torn ACL

Since Victor Martinez is out for the year due to injury, it won't be until 2013 that Cabrera, Fielder and Martinez are in the same lineup.

I love this move. The AL gets better in 2012. The Tigers will be a great team to watch. Good pitching and hitting. WS in 2012. If not, it will be fun. Thanks to Mike Illitch , the new George S.

Wow, that is a very expensive replacement bat for V-Mart. Torn ACL... yikes.

Have they scheduled the parade yet? :eek:

Too many years and too much money. The guy is going to break down with all that heft on his frame. Beware of knee, back and foot problems in the not-too-distant future.

. . . but with Victor possibly out for the 2012 season
 

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. . . it might serve both as a means to help protect Cabrerra's bat in the lineup, and another building block for a team trying to become a perennial contender.

I look at the acquisition alittle different then some fans. If Jim Leyland's plan is to make sure most of his biggest guns get adequate time to rest during the season, in an attempt to keep them healthier and fresh, then an eventual rotation of Cabrerra, Fielder, Martinez, and Avila might achieve that (where one man sits out each game). Odd man out makes for an extra weapon on the bench in late innings too. Plus, I wouldn't rule out the outside possibility that Victor learns to play alittle third base. He might not be the typical thirdbaseman, but I don't think he would embarass himself either. Not to mention, the man can hit. Detroit's stable of higher-price talent might be a problem other managers wish they had. But only if the egos are checked at the start of season, and positive team chemistry is achieved.

It wasn't too long ago the Tigers were picked to contend for their division, and they damn near surplanted the Royals in the cellar.

Verlander wins 30 :)

Now kidding aside, Miggy + Prince = Scary

Personally, injuries aside, I think that V-mart is an all around better hitter than Prince. I don't expect either player to be great in the long term though. No way do the Tigers keep V-mart after this.. Hopefully, next year with Hafner off the payroll, we'll be welcoming Vic back to Cleveland...

Agreed he's a better hitter than Prince and question both long-term greatness. But Id be more surprised if they victor go after the year he had last year and play 140+ games for all we hear about injuries.

Wow, Prince is going to be making as much money as Romney, before taxes. :D

Yeah, but Prince is working harder and getting his hair messed up!

Wasn't it just a couple of years ago we were handing the tigers their WS rings after looking at their off season moves.

Ah, yes:

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthr...heduled+parade

Reading the comments, I see a few other team supporters a little sad and wishing they could have landed Fielder, especially anyone following the Texas Rangers. ;)

Nothing guarantees the post season, but they are going to be fun to watch.

Joe

baseball should mandate DH in the NL also. as is all the big contracts are going to the AL teams where they know if guys break down and can't play everyday they can be the DH

Quan,
You are advocating the end of real baseball?

well at least get some uniformity. right now the balance is tipped to the AL in terms of offense. i actually like pitchers hitting as it adds another layer of strategy...but MLBPA will never allow the loss of DH in the AL, so might as well bring it to the NL also.

Great news. I'm sure the donut shops in Detroit are ecstatic.

He is terrible defensively, he better hit 50 HRs and drive in 140 for 24 mil. Also if you look at his splits .326 at home and .272 on the road, hopefully Detroit will be as friendly to him as Miller Park was this past year

But what does all this mean for the Brew crew? No more Prince and it appears Braun may be serving a 50 game suspension to start the season. What happens when Braun doesn't have Prince to protect him in the lineup?

If this ends the pitcher's hitting, then yes, by all means start the DH in the NL. There is nothing worse than watching a pitcher strikeout time and time again b/c they don't care about hitting. I don't see any point in pitcher's being in the hitting lineup...other than a channel change for me!

Only thing worse then watching a pitcher hit, is watching a pitcher run the bases.

;)

The Minnesota Twins have officially been eliminated from the 2012 Central Division race :(

Maybe Selig can form a division with Pittsburg, Houston, Seattle, Minnesota and Oakland.....

I'd rather have Romney helping my business for 9 years than Prince Fielder at the tail end of that contract!

I was hoping the Mariners would sign him but when I saw the length of the deal I was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy they didn't. 1-4 years Detroit will be happy and get good value and production, but 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 years from now his Salary is going to the "Bain" of their existance (2 Romney mentions in one post about Prince Fielder!). Hopefull for Tigers fans they win a couple quick or that contract is going to be a major flop.

I like Fielder a good deal as a player but seriously, how do you allow yourself to get THAT big as a Professional Athlete? If he cant lose some weight in a contract year do you really think he is going to give a crap about his weight as he gets older with a guaranteed contract until he is 36!

I just figured it out, its all part of the governments revitalization of Detroit plan! His taxes on the new contract are worth more than the whole city!

Laugh...........
 

Thanks...........I needed a laugh!!!

I agree with the body type comparison, but in terms of who is/was the better player your incorrect. Prince is a much better hitter. .282 vs .255 lifetime average is not even close. Also Prince only needs one more season to tie his dads mark of over 100 RBI seasons, he'll do that easily in each of the the next 4 years, cruising right by him. Also, comparing their walks to K's ratio, not even close. Prince is a monster! His Big Daddy had a few good power # seasons, but not close to the hitter the lil guy is.

Paul,
Most likely the first time in a long time Prince has been referrred to as "the 'lil guy." :)

Did anyone of you know that Price Fielder is a vegetarian?

Joe

That's a lot of vegetables.

Seems to be working.

The above comparison leaves out one major point -- Cecil was 27 when he had the breakout year you cite -- Prince was 23. A 27 year old player would be expected to break down four years sooner than a 23 year old.
That being said, can't see the Tigers getting value for the full nine years, but for the next five or six maybe he could be a force.

Greg

wow
 

looks like the Angels STOLE Pujols after seeing this bloated (pun intended) Detroit contract...

Re: O/T, Prince Fielder to Tigers for 9 year deal
 

Let's hold off a bit on the coronation ceremony. Their defense is going to be brutal and unless the light suddenly goes on for Austin Jackson, they don't have a real leadoff hitter. The Tigers will rue this contract for a long time.

Ed, you're right. If Verlander hurts his arm the Central could be a race. I am sure that won't happen but.....

Joe-So are hippos and elephants

Best Non-Move So Far
 

As a Nationals fan, I have to admit some relief over the Nationals' refusal to cave to Boras's demands for Fielder. For a front office so often maligned about when and how they spend money, this has to be the best non-move they've made yet. The Nats have too many other things that require attention and money, and "upgrading" (if it really is an upgrade, all things -- like defense -- considered) to Fielder over Adam LaRoche (assuming he's healthy and back to his career norms) was a luxury the team couldn't afford (especially since years 4-9 would likely seen al expensive albatross and not a net asset hung around the team's financial neck). 2013 seems like a better time to spend FA money, from where the Nats sit, at least.

Deadspin has a story opining about which the tandem of Fielder and Cabrera will reach first; 600 combined home runs or pounds.

I like Detroit's chances. Of course injuries to players could make everything mute. They usually do.

Right now Detroit has the best pitching and hitting in the American league. I was hoping for someone with speed on the bases, that would have helped. With this trade I see Jacob Turner being given a bigger shot as the 5th starter for the Tigers also. I don't see them signing any pitchers, although Edwin Jackson is available again. He was 13-9 last year I think.

Joe

I agree, I like our non-moves (We did give up a lot for Gio but I'll take a proven ML over a bunch of prospects). If Fielder signed for 7 years or less, I would've been disappointed.