Prince Fielder Just Broke the Internet
January 24, 2012 at 12:23 pm | Posted in Prince Fielder | 66 Comments
As has been reported by every outlet short of smoke signal and carrier pigeon over the last thirty minutes, Prince Fielder has finally come off the board, agreeing to a nine-year, $214m contract with the Detroit Tigers. This ought to allow Dodger fans to put the idea of signing Fielder – which was never going to happen, sadly – behind us for good, and resign ourselves to another long, cold year of James Loney and the Fun Bunch. That sounds kind of depressing when you write it like that, but… well, I don’t quite know how to end that sentence.
More importantly, though… holy crap. How does Scott Boras keep doing this? Nine years! Two hundred and fourteen million! Particularly when it’s coming from a team that already has a stud first baseman in Miguel Cabrera and has to deal with $35m more to another 1B/DH type in Victor Martinez, at least after he returns from his knee injury next year. After weeks upon weeks of hearing how the Fielder market was depressed because traditional spenders like the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, Mets, and Phillies weren’t involved, Boras goes and pulls this out of his hat. Though many personify Boras as everything that’s wrong with baseball today, I can’t even be angry with him. Frankly, I’m just impressed. The man is simply a wizard.
Back to the Dodgers, well, if this is what it was going to take to secure Fielder, then I’m just as happy to pass. It’s one thing to swallow hard and choke up ~$160m when you’re already paying Matt Kemp and have to deal with Clayton Kershaw (especially when his closest comparable, Tim Lincecum, is extracting $40.5m over two years from the Giants because he hasn’t been locked up yet). It’s quite another to commit nearly $24m per year for nearly a decade to a bad-bodied player when you don’t have the luxury of the designated hitter to shift him to in a few years.
We now return you to your regularly-scheduled moping over the Dodger offense, at least until we get further news on the ownership bidding process.
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On the plus side, this clears Matt Kemp’s run for the MVP.
Comment by Brian Stuart— January 24, 2012 #
At some point the MLB has to look into add the DH to both leagues or getting rid of it. It gives the AL a huge advantage at signing free agents who will command long term deals.
Comment by Matt M.— January 24, 2012 #
adding*
Comment by Matt M.— January 24, 2012 #
you make an excellent point. i would imagine MLB will make the NL adopt the DH rule.
Comment by Ty (@909ertransplant)— January 24, 2012 #
NO THANK YOU. We want nothing to do with the DH in the NL please! Using the DH is the lazy man’s way of playing baseball and managing. Yes, I’m a purist. But I do believe in innovation and evolution, but you have to be very careful to not alter the purity of what makes the game so good. Baseball shouldn’t try to become more like basketball, or soccer, or football. It needs to grow the sport through the things that made it America’s game in the first place.
Comment by Dodgers Baseball News— January 24, 2012 #
Couldn’t agree more. Well said, sir.
Comment by Dave Pomerantz— January 24, 2012 #
I am a staunch opponent of the DH rule. Not for any moral or philosophical reason, but because it would deprive us of moments like this one:
Comment by Paul— January 24, 2012 #
Edited that for you, Paul, so it’d display here.
Comment by Mike— January 24, 2012 #
‘preciate it.
Comment by Paul— January 24, 2012 #
I could easily make a counter argument by showing a gif of him hitting a homer off Billingsley.
Comment by Bip— January 24, 2012 #
And Ted Lilly…
Comment by Paul— January 24, 2012 #
Are you God?
I couldn’t have said it any better.
Comment by joeyc138— January 25, 2012 #
Your headline expresses my thoughts perfectly. I’m going to back away from you slowly, Prince Fielder, lest I scuff your shadow and run up a bazillion dollar bill.
Comment by toosoxy— January 24, 2012 #
Whether the Dodgers are bankrupt or not that was a deal only a foolish owner would sign.
Comment by Jon#7#22— January 24, 2012 #
I’d be curious to know what the Nats were offering, although I’m sure we’ll never know….
Comment by Jon#7#22— January 24, 2012 #
I read, but cannot confirm, that they would not go above 7 years.
Comment by Mike— January 24, 2012 #
Which at least makes some sense since their NL. I’ll guess 7/160 which even as you type the numbers looks way less than 9/214 even though the yearly price is nearly the same.
Comment by Jon#7#22— January 24, 2012 #
so any chance the tigers are now looking to trade cabrera and what would it take?
Comment by Ty (@909ertransplant)— January 24, 2012 #
Ha ha ha, if they are, then I guarantee you any deal we could possibly offer them would have to include Kershaw.
Comment by Bip— January 24, 2012 #
i would hang up the phone at that point.
Comment by Ty (@909ertransplant)— January 24, 2012 #
As would I.
Comment by Bip— January 24, 2012 #
No, we could get him without including Kershaw.
It’d just be something ridiculous like a 5-for-1 swap of Gordon, Sands, Jansen, Webster, and Eovaldi. Which, i’d rather have the prospects.
Comment by Taylor Maricle— January 25, 2012 #
So I’m assuming that they’ve signed him to be exclusively a DH. He seems a little young to be making that move.
Comment by Bip— January 24, 2012 #
I don’t think he would have accepted that, he was pretty clear about wanting to play the field. Sounds like either a swap-off with Miggy at 1B/DH, or something insane like Miggy to 3B or LF.
Comment by Mike— January 24, 2012 #
Looking at UZR, he wasn’t that bad at 3B or LF. So, unless he’s just totally out of practice or has gotten fatter, that could be an acceptable option. The only position where his numbers are terrible is RF, but that’s a small sample size.
Comment by Bip— January 24, 2012 #
Without looking myself, he hasn’t played 3B in like 5 years though, right? I do imagine he’s slowed down since then.
Comment by Mike— January 24, 2012 #
If you could call what he did 2008 playing third base. Bazinga!
Comment by Bip— January 24, 2012 #
Not to mention how tough it is to jump in and play 3rd base right off a weekend bender. Not sure Miggy can handle that kind of stress any longer.
Comment by The Count— January 24, 2012 #
+!
Comment by a— January 24, 2012 #
Insane.
Comment by Bob Springer— January 24, 2012 #
Too true, Mike. I just posted on the BBWC the insanity of all this. I can’t believe he went that high, and I’m glad the Dodgers (and the new owners to be) didn’t spend like this. However, putting Prince in the elite category of players like this just drives up the prices on the better-than-average guys, which are plenty. Higher tix prices, parking, food, drinks, jerseys, etc. now go the all the fans. Unbelievable. Boras may be a wizard, but he’s also the fan’s wallet’s worst nightmare.
Comment by kylecoffin— January 24, 2012 #
Atleast he’s out of the NL, especially the west. Could you imagine what could have happened if Colorado all of a sudden decided to drink Scott Boras’ Kool-Aid and decide that they needed to sign Fielder?
Comment by Daniel— January 24, 2012 #
He’ll die of a heart attack before nine years. My guess is that he doesn’t average 120 games over the nine years. Boras signed him to his last contract and he ought to name Scott in his will.
Comment by Bob Springer— January 24, 2012 #
[...] play, and good god no were not moving Loney to the outfield! Whats funny is that Mike Petriello of MSTI called Fielder’s agent Scott Boras a wizard. Whether he is the wizard of Oz, or the Wizard of [...]
Pingback by Prince Fielder Signs with Tigers-World Keeps Spinning - Lasorda's Lair - A Los Angeles Dodgers Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More— January 24, 2012 #
I think we’re better off without that STOOPID contract. No way Prince can hold up that long. Great now but an albatross later
Comment by Mr. Bo— January 24, 2012 #
Hate to do this to you Mike, but your 2012 plan a couple months go included this tidbit:
2) Sign 1B Prince Fielder to a six-year, $140m deal.
which, just… lol.
Comment by Paul— January 24, 2012 #
Oh, no offense taken. I don’t think ANYONE predicted the lunacy of this winter. (In fact, I think I wrote a post saying just that after we saw what Willie Bloomquist got.)
Comment by Mike— January 24, 2012 #
You got the yearly rate about right though.
Comment by Bip— January 24, 2012 #
Comment by Mike— January 24, 2012 #
Nice Jordans… with the matching Cubs parachute pants, NY Football Giants shirt, and Detroit Tigers hat! LOLOLOL
Comment by Dodgers Baseball News— January 24, 2012 #
He seems… confused.
Comment by Dave Pomerantz— January 24, 2012 #
How could a kid so fat, grow up to be such a, well, man so fat?
Comment by Gibby's Limp— January 24, 2012 #
He hit more home runs that year than Juan Pierre did in his entire tenure with the Dodgers.
Comment by Bip— January 24, 2012 #
I smell a “Best Photo Caption” Contest at MSTI brewing! How about it Mike?
Comment by Dodgers Baseball News— January 24, 2012 #
On the brightside, playing the Brewers and Cardinals will be much easier this year than in the past.
Comment by Joseph— January 24, 2012 #
LOL@ that pic! was that circa 1991? Hilarity!
Comment by Format— January 24, 2012 #
Question which Tigers player is that in the background? Alan Trammell? Frank Tanana?
Comment by Format— January 24, 2012 #
Sure looks like Trammell to me, but I guess I don’t know for sure.
Comment by Mike— January 24, 2012 #
I half expect to find out that Prince Fielder is wearing a 1989 Tim Burtan batman logo, with a Kid N’ Play haircut, while dancing the Roger Rabbit, in that photo.
Everybody Dance now! Bomp Bomp Bomp Bomp
Comment by Format— January 24, 2012 #
It’s Trammell according to another blog I saw. I love that photo almost as much as the one of 8 year old fielder swinging a bat (The Detroit newspaper just posted an article from 1992ish). At first glance, he looks 13.
Comment by Real Tom— January 24, 2012 #
Whichever he is, I laughed at his expression as it says in no uncertain terms “what a fat f&&king kid.”
Comment by RS— January 24, 2012 #
I know people are going bonkers that the Dodgers didn’t get in on the Pujols-Fielder-free-agency-palooza, but I’d rather they took care of business with Kemp (which they did) and Kershaw (c’mon guys, do something!). Besides, do you really think Fielder can hold up playing 1B for nine years!!?!?!?! This was a good move for him. Just like Pujols going to the Angels was. Let’s take 2012 in stride, have fun watching the new owners get rid of some crap and bring in some better crap.
Comment by Omer— January 24, 2012 #
All these teams will look like idiots when the Rays or a team like that wins the World Series this season.
Comment by Bobblehead Addict— January 24, 2012 #
I’d rather have a decent guy like James Loney at first with reasonable pay at first for the next nine years than Fielder who by the end of that contract will be pushing 400 lbs and will be get thrown out at first on what your average Joe might get a double from.
Comment by Kyle MacGregor (@Cadtalfryn)— January 24, 2012 #
I could understand this position if the Dodgers offense wasn’t so pathetic. In a vacuum, 9/214 for Prince is not a good deal, but with something of a dearth of good free agent hitters, not much trade bait and nothing in our system, we’ve got to get offense somehow, and that might mean overpaying for it.
Comment by Bip— January 24, 2012 #
Loney is not a decent guy, but for the Dodgers, who are nowhere near contending, it’s probably best to have a horrible player on a 1 year contract than a 3 win DH for 10 years and $214 mil. Dodgers are probably below average next year, if not below replacement level, at every infield position, catcher, and LF. Ethier is far from a sure bet to suddenly turn into a reliable everyday player. And Capuano and Harang will be taking the mound every 5 days, and we don’t really know what we have in Billingsley yet. What is the point of overpaying for a DH on such a team?
Comment by GoDodgers— January 24, 2012 #
Loney will probably put up 1.0-1.5 wins, and Mark Ellis has never been worth less than 1.2. Gordon may disappoint us, but I doubt that even then he and Uribe will combine for 2 wins below replacement level. AJ Ellis would have to see his OBP drop pretty far to be replacement level at catcher.
Comment by Bip— January 24, 2012 #
“. . . traditional spenders like the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, Mets, and Phillies . . .”
_____________
MTSI:
I don’t blame this specifically on you, because you were merely reporting the “word on the street”, so to speak…but quick, which item in the list above is not like the others?
[Waiting for an answer]
Give up? Okay, the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, and Phillies are actual big spenders, whereas the Dodgers are big spenders only in the sense that they were able to pay Juan Rivera $4.5 million.
Comment by Steve— January 24, 2012 #
That’s what i was going to say, why does the media always say that? It’s kinda like taking a jab at us….
Comment by DodgersKings323— January 24, 2012 #
It says “traditional spenders.” Are we not traditional spenders? The last few years don’t determine tradition by definition of tradition.
Comment by Bip— January 24, 2012 #
While I feel that we dodged a stupid move by not signing Fielder, I don’t feel that we are any smarter for paying the worthless RBI Machine known as James Loney $6+ million. I just hope that Jerry Sands so dominates in Spring Training that Mattingly has no choice but to sit Loney or Rivera, I could care less either as we will have multiple black holes on offense, but one less would be less dispiriting.
Comment by grabarkewitz— January 24, 2012 #
I am much more scared of the ACTUAL Tigers DH problem, and it’s not Fielder, or Cabrera, or even Victor Martinez. Their DH is technically Delmon Young, and I would bet 214 Million Dollars that they’ll look for takers, and that Colletti is at least interested in kicking the tires.
Remember, we talked about this earlier in the offseason, and I bet he’s even more available now.
UGH. Thoughts, Mike?
Comment by Real Tom— January 24, 2012 #
Valid concern, but I’m not too worried. The roster is full, the budget is tapped, that role is filled by Rivera. I don’t consider it likely.
Comment by Mike— January 24, 2012 #
Come on Mike. You give Boras way too much credit. The market for overpaid fat people was clearly set by Novartis’ deal with Paula Deen. He was just waiting it out.
Comment by RS— January 24, 2012 #
Im glad prince signed.I would wake up every morning like it was christmas morning check my phone on espn los angeles app and hoping to see prince signed with the Dodgers.Agree take care of kershaw and eithier first and see if new gm can sign D.wright, Y.Molina and C.Quintin
Next off season
Comment by mike l— January 25, 2012 #
…nothing but relief here….also that the Nats didn’t sign him either…
Comment by Dale— January 25, 2012 #