SI's Jon Heyman leads his column by ranking the favorites for Prince Fielder, putting the Brewers sixth while noting that owner Mark Attanasio "should never be counted out and is expected to make one final run" to retain his slugger. Heyman's other notes:
- The Phillies "very much" want to re-sign shortstop Jimmy Rollins. Heyman thinks the Phillies are willing to do a three-year contract while Rollins is expected to seek four or five. Rollins, 33 in November, is hitting .268/.338/.395 in 582 plate appearances this year. UZR continues to rate his defense as above average, and it seems likely Rollins will score an eight-figure salary for the first time in his career.
- The Red Sox "are thought to have interest" in Phillies closer Ryan Madson. Madson, a 31-year-old Scott Boras client, has a 2.54 ERA, 8.9 K/9, 2.5 BB/9, 0.32 HR/9, and 50% groundball rate in 56 2/3 innings this year. Last week MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith explained that Madson will probably cost another team a draft pick, but a three-year deal appears likely. In March, Madson said he wanted to finish his career with the Phillies.
Fielder’s name comes up more often than the Astros’ and he’s worth more.
I fail to see Heyman’s logic-If the Cards don’t lock up Pujols, I think they’ll go with a Berkman/Craig for 1st/RF respectively with possibly Matt Adams as Berk’s back-up and wait until next year instead of signing Fielder, when some big time free agent OF’s hit free agency, such as Kemp,Hamilton, and Victorino. All Said I’d say the Cards sign Pujols for 8/210.
Except some or none of those guys will hit free agency. The pool always looks better a year or two out, but oftentimes, those guys get extended and don’t hit the open market.
I Know that, but you’d figure at least one High Profile Free Agent such as my 3 examples, though some will argue about Victorino, will test Free Agency-Again I think the Cards sign Pujols but if they don’t, don’t flock to Fielder whose body won’t age very well.
Boras’ asking price for Madson will probably be around the same annual salary as Papelbon, so imagine any Red Sox interest would be hinging on the lenth of the deal.
I’d sign Madson before Rollins… the Phillies don’t have many options in their bullpen, but could probably get by with Valdez/Martinez/Galvis at SS (as they so often do now with Jimmy’s injuries).
I could not disagree more.
Rollins is not the MVP type of player anymore, but he is an outstanding fielder at (arguably) the toughest position to find a great glove at. He also gives you above average numbers from the SS position at the plate. You know what you are going to get from Jimmy, .270/.330/.400 or so at the plate, with 20+ SB’s and great defense.
Madson on the other hand is a relief pitcher. They are as up and down as it gets. During 2008, Brad Lidge was given a three year extension covering 2009 – 11. That contract could not have been a bigger mistake. We have gotten noting from the $30M+ invested in him over the past 3 years.
JRoll also has too many trips to the DL and doesn’t run like he once did. If you watch him every day you can see his defense is starting to slip. I curious to see what other teams might offer him.
Rollins has been hurt the last three years and doesn’t steal a lot of bases anymore. He’s not worth $13M a year for 3 years. If he wants to play for $5M-8M, than OK – I’d keep him, but I’d be very reluctant to give him a big deal.
As far as Madson, I wouldn’t go overboard in signing him but if I can get him for 3 years at $8M-10M than I’d do it. I think his value will be lower than expected because there are a lot of closers with more experience on the market. Lidge was a poor investment but he was hurt in 2009 and hasn’t been the same since.
Fielder signs with the cards?, it may be concieveable if Pujols signs with the Cubs.
I feel like it should be Pujols or bust. If they dont bring him back its going to be a disaster. So it seems sort of knee-jerk to throw money at Fielder just because they lost Pujols
Why would it be a disaster? It would still be a very dangerous offense with Fielder instead of Pujols. The Cardinals were the best offense in the NL for the first 3 months of the season with Pujols being an average first baseman.
If they have to commit ~$50MM less to Fielder and less years, I’m not sure why that couldn’t be a good move. Don’t get me wrong, I want Albert back with the Cardinals, but I can see scenarios where it makes sense to go after Fielder.
From the casual fans perspective, losing the face of the organization and of baseball is a disaster regardless of any other moves made. Then you want to sell the fan base on bringing in a division rival to fill his shoes? I just see it being a PR disaster. This is a special circumstance. We arent just talking about letting player A go to replace him with player B.
I think people really underestimate the St. Louis fan base. Everyone loves Albert, and sure there would be some people really mad, but it’s not going to end baseball as we know it if he leaves. Especially if it’s to the Cubs. The fan base will be ready very quickly to move on and find a new first baseman if he takes 55 straight north.
Agreed, but if Pujols does sign with the Cubs they will need to counter act to maintain competitive balance, Fielder would become the best option.
I hear the Orioles have a 10 years 40 million dollar contract on the table for Fielder. If he doesnt’ accept? Well at last they tried!
Even if they did put the best offer on the table, I can’t see why he would want to sign there
Because he likely wants to get paid. Even if he signed a massive deal in Baltimore, he would likely be traded before the deal was over.
Maybe he’s was a big fan of Ace of Cakes?
You having trouble seeing the dollar signs?
Rabbitov don’t be so jaded.Plus, for the life of me I am unsure as to why Fielder wants to leave the Brewers
I don’t think the grass is always greener on other fields
As a lifelong Orioles fan, I do not want him.
Here’s my alternative line –up, that I would want
RF – Nick Markakis
CF – Coco Crisp
LF – Cody Ross
4th Outfielder – Nolan Reimold
1B – Mark Reynolds
2nd – Phillips or Andino depends how everything shakes down next year
SS – Hardy
3rd – Wright
C – Wieters
Back – Up Catcher – Kelly Shoppach
I know we need pitching, but as far as the starting pitching goes. I don’t see anyone that I really can get behind now that Chris Carpenter is gone.
“I don’t think the grass is always greener on other fields”
no, but the porch is sometimes shorter. and the only thing he does well on fields anyway is hit balls over them
Where is Adam Jones and how did you get David (presumably) Wright and Brandon (presumably) Phillips
That works if you’re playing a video game. It’s highly unlikely the O’s will look like that come next season.
You could add Fielder to that lineup and it still wont win 75 games. Not when Brian Matusz and co. are serving up HR’s left and right to the other 4 AL East teams. Pitching wins championships.
Yes, Orioles need a bunch of solid starting pitching, but there is something to be said about beating the other team by scoring more runs. Fielder alone won’t do it, but an impact free agent is long overdue in Baltimore to give the team some sort of a pulse.
I don’t really see how that lineup would happen. I also don’t understand where Adam Jones would go? Our OF would seriously be downgraded.
Granted the lineup needs to get better, but the pitching is the real problem anyways.
And there is a difference between Jaded and Realistic.
Well it looks like trading Wright for Jones went over like a lead balloon.
I will scuttle that trade idea and will not mention it again. (Wright for Jones)
However, I still like the idea of bringing in Cody Ross for LF.
There’s a lot of people though that think Ross is a platoon player. I beg to differ.
The Orioles pitching tonight was atrocious. I have no idea what is wrong with Matusz.
Does this guy even want to pitch again? I think I could find someone from the New York/Penn League that would do a better job then Matusz.
Are you wishing for a sub 40% winning percentage 2 years in a row? LEFTY
Man I had to go to cots and check out Rollins contract. 5 years/40 mil has been an absolute steal for the Phillies.
5 years ago it was probably a lot bigger than it looks now. Today, Jorge de la Rosa puts together 20 nice starts and lands himself 30 MM. Its getting absurd
It was a steal then and a steal now. They also signed Utley for what amounts to a steal.
You need a discount on Rollins when you’re paying Ryan Howard 25mm
Actually Howard is getting $20 million. $25 starts in 2014 about the time their TV deal gets renewed upward. The point is you have good deals and bad deals but still win. Their contracts going back to Thome have evened out more in the Phillies favor.
De La Rosa gets 30 mil because its impossible to get starting pitching to come to Colorado so they have to do things like that. And don’t act like he isn’t a quality pitcher.
He wasnt coming to Colorado they were keeping him there. His track record was awful and now hes on the shelf for a year. Inconsistent and erratic.
I cannot see any reason the Sox would entertain any thoughts on Madson. They have Paplebon and could sign him if they want, then there is Bard who is a closer in waiting despite his bad week. I think this is Boras posturing to drum up interest in his client. Gotta get set up for the “mystery team”.
Maybe to do the job Jenks has failed to do this year.
Not bad, but unless the sox want to pay closer money to another set up guy (jenks) I doubt Madson would be interested.
plus jenks himself will be there next year to do the job he was supposed to do this year
If only. I truely thought the signing of Jenks was going to be a great deal, not in terms of dollars for a 7th inning guy but I thought he would provide some stability back there with Bard and he’s just been a total waste this season. Hopefully all his health issues clear up and he does come back strong next season.
it was a good signing. injuries happen
Fair enough, I was just throwing an idea out there. It would be foolish to have three guys in a bullpen making closer money.
Ryan Madson looks like a lizard.