Tigers sign Prince Fielder to 9 year deal!!!!!!!!

[thefunk]

Which team will win the AL Central?

Indians - 1%

Royals - 1%

Tigers - 94%

Twins - 1%

White Sox - 1%

Sports Nation poll.

[alwaysthrowheat]

All of these 8-10 year contracts you see handed out are drags on the back end. I don't think the Tigers or any other team, hand these out thinking they are going to get good value in years 6-10 (or in this case 6-9). The value is front end loaded. The organization is either okay with that, or they don't get involved with signing marquee players.

The thing is, I'd rather overspend on a hitter like Fielder in the last few years of the deal. Because someone like Reyes or Crawford, without their legs, are nothing. Prince is still going to be able to hit at 35 years old.

[sinister porpoise]

But I just don't see how this is in the best long-term interest of the franchise.

I would be surprised if Prince Fielder is below the 125 OPS+ range in the last 2 years of his deal. Its not a given that he'll be terrible in the last couple of years, the way I think people are talking about it. He's an awesome hitter and will be so for most of the deal, possibly declining to very good.

[Ron Burgandy]

Jackson
Boesch
Cabrera
Fielder
Martinez/Young
Perralta
Avila
Raburn
Santiago

Aside from the questions around A-Jax at leadoff, I will say that that lineup is just about perfectly balanced if you switch Avila and Peralta. R-L-R-L-R-L-R

[Yoda]

We won't know, but it is crazy to me to think he managed to negotiate a much better deal than Cabrera, even throwing out Miguel's team controlled seasons. I'd imagine team spending is down relative to 4 years ago as well.

If Cabrera was on the open market and signed with a new team this year, I bet he would have gotten more. Miggy was already on the team, and teams usually get a bit of a break in that situation because nobody is bidding against you.

[Mark The Shark]

I'm just in shock. Three of the best players in baseball are all in their prime and all have longish term contracts with the Tigers.

I've over the moon with this signing.

[John_Brian_K]

If Cabrera was on the open market and signed with a new team this year, I bet he would have gotten more. Miggy was already on the team, and teams usually get a bit of a break in that situation because nobody is bidding against you.

Miguel would have gotten 10 years at 250 easy IMO. IMO he is the second best hitter in the game the last 10 years right behind Pujols.

[Eric Cioe]

If we are willing to spend $214 million on one player, why not sign Jose Reyes and Mark Buehrle for less money in December?

Because Reyes is useless without legs and can't stay healthy, and because Buehrle likely won't be too much of an upgrade from the #5 starters.

Good grief. I'm trying to think of comparisons, two hall-of-famers back-to-back in their absolute prime. Mays and McCovey, Aaron and Mathews...is Gehrig and Ruth a little over the top?

It'll be a bit like McGuire/Canseco back in the 80s.

Braun & Fielder? But we don't know that either Fielder or Cabrera are hall of famers either.

Yeah, Braun and Fielder was my answer. Braun is pretty much as good as Cabrera.

Because Martinez still had a knee at the time.

My car ran out of gas once, so I bought a new car.


This deal is likely going to suck come 2016. Honestly, I would have rather signed Cabrera (and especially Verlander!) to an extension through 2020. But that's a long way off and these next couple of seasons will be incredible, so I'll worry about 2016 after the 2015 playoffs.

[alwaysthrowheat]

If Cabrera was on the open market and signed with a new team this year, I bet he would have gotten more. Miggy was already on the team, and teams usually get a bit of a break in that situation because nobody is bidding against you.

Miggy and Verlander have the two most team friendly deals in baseball for guys making 10MM+

[CapitalTigers]

Doing his best Tiger impersonation...

[irvink]

The thing is, I'd rather overspend on a hitter like Fielder in the last few years of the deal. Because someone like Reyes or Crawford, without their legs, are nothing. Prince is still going to be able to hit at 35 years old.

I was thinking the same thing. Reyes and Wilson sounds nice, but their are very legitimate concerns about both to stay healthy/continue performing at a high rate.. Prince is as close to a sure thing as you can get and only 27.

Slugging is at a premium. And the Tigers now have 2 of the very best.

[CapitalTigers]

He's back home.

[RedRamage]

Because Martinez still had a knee at the time.

There's a Skyrim joke in there somewhere...

[itsallgood8989]

I'm thinking we better sign Cepades cuz we are going to need some speedy outfielders to chase all of the balls that scoot through the infield!!

Fielder, Raburn. Peralta, Cabby..... Interesting!

Still love the deal tho!!

[EatEmUpTigers711]

Heard rumblings about this in the kitchen around 3:00 when I was at work. By the time I got off at around 4:00 my phone was blowing up left and right from friends saying it was final. I **** you not, I was so happy I wanted to cry.....actually, scratch that....I still am. Can't wait for the season to start...

[irvink]

jonmorosi Jon Morosi
But as I have said before, Fielder will be more valuable than Pujols over next decade. #Tigers #Angels

[RedRamage]

He's back home.

Wow is that a messed up outfit there!

Tigers hat, Giants (football) TShirt, Cubs pants. Who dressed that kid?!?

[Antrat]

Mike Illitch is the best owner in sports.
A man that is willing to lose money to win.
I don't think we'll ever see another team owner like him in Detroit.

[LJK004]

Wow is that a messed up outfit there!

Tigers hat, Giants (football) TShirt, Cubs pants. Who dressed that kid?!?

Ray Charles with help from Helen Keller....

[rhino]

Almost two hours now and I'm still grinning like an idiot!

[irvink]

And today is the day Cespedes is granted residency in the DR..

Cespedes gains residency in the DR « MLB.com Hot Stove Blog

[John_Brian_K]

Fielder is a top 5 hitter in the game right now and is in his prime. Could he regress? Sure. Could he get better? Yeah. The last year or 2 could be a bummer, but 4 years from now? Noway.

We win it all and count on Illitch spending even more to get better next year.

We win nothing the next 2-3 years? Yeah I see this contract as an albatros.

[RedRamage]

Mike Illitch is the best owner in sports.
A man that is willing to lose money to win.
I don't think we'll ever see another team owner like him in Detroit.

I remember when people where begging Ilitch to sell. Saying he only carried about the RedWings. My how times change...

[MotorCityKitty]

Mike Illitch is the best owner in sports.
A man that is willing to lose money to win.
I don't think we'll ever see another team owner like him in Detroit.

Agree with that. I hope this man gets his dream of a WS.

[ballmich]

Jackson CF
Boesch RF
Cabrera 3B
Fielder 1B
Young DH
Avila C
Peralta SS
Raburn/Dirks LF
Santiago 2B

I like this, it's a really solid line-up with good lefty-righty balance.

[DaYooperASBDT]

If we are willing to spend $214 million on one player, why not sign Jose Reyes and Mark Buehrle for less money in December?

But didn't those two end up being overpaid? I'm not sure you can argue that with Fielder's deal - he is an amazing hitter.

[JayVee]

Rod Allen
@RodAllen12 Rod Allen
I guess I can bring back "COUNTRY STRONG" #yeahbuddy

[toadhunter911]

Yeah, Braun and Fielder was my answer. Braun is pretty much as good as Cabrera.

We'll see next season. No Prince, and no PED's...

[LJK004]

Agree with that. I hope this man gets his dream of a WS.

or 4 or 5...

[CapitalTigers]

Yes, Cespedes was granted, but I'd rather pay DOUBLE for a proven 27 year old Fielder than Cespedes.

[clark1mt]

I remember when people where begging Ilitch to sell. Saying he only carried about the RedWings. My how times change...

I think it's no coincidence that the Tigers started getting good right after the NHL instituted a salary cap.

[itsallgood8989]

Mike Illitch is the best owner in sports.
A man that is willing to lose money to win.
I don't think we'll ever see another team owner like him in Detroit.

Agreed!!! It will be a very sad day when Mike I. is no longer the owner of the Tiger's...

[RedRamage]

Some day that little kid will weigh three times more than me... and make 8 times as much money as me...

[4hzglory]

Almost two hours now and I'm still grinning like an idiot!

This is why you have cost controlled 5th starters

[ballmich]

The thing is, I'd rather overspend on a hitter like Fielder in the last few years of the deal. Because someone like Reyes or Crawford, without their legs, are nothing. Prince is still going to be able to hit at 35 years old.

I agree, and I think Prince's age makes him more ideal for a contract like this, than say Pujols. But at the same time, the value is still front end loaded, even if the contract is back-end loaded.

[John_Brian_K]

My heart is still hammering.

I need to go see a Dr!

lol

This is not a dude in his 30's....he is 27, a lefty and by all acounts seems like a good dude.

Anyone know what kind of person he is? He seems like a good club house guy always smiling etc.

[Charles Liston]

For the Welcome Back to Detroit party, Tony Phillips should smack him around a little bit and then stuff him into a locker.

[DaYooperASBDT]

The more I think about this, the less I like it. You should make a major long-term investment like this as part of a long-term strategy, not a quick reaction to an injury. Yes this will make 2012 very exciting (assuming that the defense doesn't come back to haunt us), but we'd better win a WS title in the next three years because this is the type of move that can set a franchise back a long time if it doesn't work out. We are going to be seriously overpaying Fielder for the last 4-5 years of the deal, and it could really hamper our ability to compete.

I'm dying to know the timeline of all this - did it really just develop in the past week?

[Who is the Drizzle?]

Because Reyes is useless without legs and can't stay healthy, and because Buehrle likely won't be too much of an upgrade from the #5 starters.

My car ran out of gas once, so I bought a new car.

This deal is likely going to suck come 2016. Honestly, I would have rather signed Cabrera (and especially Verlander!) to an extension through 2020. But that's a long way off and these next couple of seasons will be incredible, so I'll worry about 2016 after the 2015 playoffs.

With Prince only being 27 right now, I wouldn't count on him being a drag until 2017/18. I see no reason why he won't be able to hit well enough at age 33/34.

[jonjd]

That picture of Prince features a rare 3 team ensemble being represented in the wardrobe. Rare.