We heard on Friday that the Orioles are in fact interested in Prince Fielder, but not at his current asking price. While O's executive vice president Dan Duquette won't say much about the team's pursuit of the slugger, it might be the other D.C. area team that makes an aggressive offer. Here's the latest on Fielder with the latest news up top..
- While he cautions to "take it for what it's worth", ESPN.com's Buster Olney writes that there is a broad assumption from a lot of baseball execs that Fielder's most attractive offer will come from the Nationals. It's also important to note that GM Mike Rizzo said on Friday that Adam LaRoche will be the club's first baseman in 2012.
Rizzo did say yesterday though that Adam LaRoche was the Nats first baseman for next year…I sure hope he was lying.
Of course they’re going to say that LaRoche is their 1st baseman for next year, given that it was just last offseason that Rizzo signed him to a multi-year deal last offseason. Even if the Nationals are the favorites to land Fielder, its still not a sure thing that they will in fact sign him, and, with the money still owed to LaRoche for next year, even with a down year he’ll still remain a starter unless someone else is signed. As of today, yes, LaRoche is the starting first baseman for the Nats in 2012. But with free agency, you never know. For example, most thought that Pujols would either stay in St. Louis or sign with Miami. Instead though, at the last minute, the Angels suddenly entered the bidding and eventually won. Point is, even with the Nats interest with Fielder, there is no guarantee that he will sign with them, as anything can go down at the last minute that the public doesn’t know about. Until Fielder signs with Washington (if, that is), then LaRoche is the Nats first baseman for now.
If they sign Fielder the only ones upset by Rizzo going against what he said might be the LaRoche family. That is , until he’s traded.
FIELDER WILL NEVER PLAY BALTIMORE, THAT DEAL ISNT EVEN CLOSE OF HAPPENING…
This isn’t Bleacher Creature…
hes just a lie ignore him
I predict Fielder to become a National or Ranger.
Assuming Darvish signs my guess is the Rangers aren’t planning any more major moves. Besides, they have plenty of first basemen and they don’t need to upgrade their offense. I still wouldn’t be surprised to see the Cubs make a decent offer. Even if they’re planning a complete rebuild Fielder is young and can contribute for several years.
Angels had plenty of first basemen too, and supposedly only had 15-20 mil to spend this offseason.
When asked “Is LaRoche your 1B for 2012”?, Rizzo responded “That is correct.” And if you look at the Nats’ depth chart, LaRoche is indeed the first baseman. But as a poster pointed out on a different blog, no one asked Rizzo whether that might change and I’m sure he was happy not to have to address any Fielder questions.
Same Old Rumors =P
FIELDER WILL NEVER PLAY BALTIMORE, THAT DEAL ISNT EVEN CLOSE OF HAPPENING
phillyFan1 that’s fine by me!!!!!
The question of the day is do the Nationals have the money to pay Fielder?
Yes!
Do the Nationals have an Owner who is willing to spend?
Yes!
Does Rizzo like to take chances?
Yes!
Will the Nationals sign Prince Fielder
Logically….. Yes!
PS Do the Orioles have any of those traits aforementioned?
Logically…. No!
“FIELDER WILL NEVER PLAY BALTIMORE” – I’m assuming then that you see him signing with an NL team that will never fact the Orioles in interleague action.
Well I didn’t say I was Carnac the Magnificent.
Second, if you scroll down the page or read more closely to my post:
PhillyFan1 was the one who coined the phrase. I just commented on it.
For all those involved maybe it originally should have been written:
Fileder will never play in Baltimore in an Orioles uniform!
That’s more of a prediction that time will only tell.
There, I hope that makes you feel better VTA Dave.
Merry Christmas!
FIELDER WILL END UP IN BALTIMORE! Do you have any idea how many homers that is from OUR INFIELD ALONE! 135+
Roberts)risky)
Kakais
Jones
Fielder
Hardy
Reynolds
Weiters
Scott(DH)
Chavez (for right now) In left.
the nats would be a very very scary team in a few years if fielder signed there
The Nat’s would be a very scary team THIS year if Fielder signed there (especially if Harper makes the team out of spring training)
valid point
A few years? lol
No obvious leadoff hitter here, but a pretty intriguing lineup nonetheless.
2B Espinosa
RF Werth
1B Fielder
3B Zimmerman
LF Morse
CF Harper
C Ramos
SS Desmond
better lineup with the aforementioned players
SS Desmond
RF Werth
3B Zimmerman
1B Fielder
LF Morse
CF Harper
2B Espinosa
C Ramos
I know Laroche is no where near the hitter that Fielder is but I have to say thats not so bad of a lineup even without Fielder. But with him its pretty scary.
I know Laroche is no where near the hitter that Fielder is but I have to say thats not so bad of a lineup even without Fielder. But with him its pretty scary.
As of right now he is. But that could change. The only thing might be a factor is Michael Morse. They dont want him in LF. Although they could just suck it up for Prince
Maybe it is still wishful thinking being a long time Mariners fan but I still feel like Fielder will end up playing here in Seattle.
Did you really just refer to Baltimore as DC area? Get outta here.
the way i drive its about 25 minutes (non rush hour) i would call that close
I have no idea where Prince is going to sign… but I do know… a lot of you will be eating crow for lunch the day he does. :) MERRY CHRISTMAS!
If I am Fielder, I would rather re-sign in Milwaukee than with the Orioles, but I would be concerned that the most interested teams are only the Orioles and Nationals.
I agree, he will have to back-off his demands of $25.5+ or he will be the only player to watch on whichever team signs him. Personally I would take less to have a chance a winning in the next 10 years
You think the Nationals will suck with him, Harper, Strasburg, Gonzalez, and Zimmerman? Not to mention Espinosa, Werth, and Morse
Screw LaRoche, Fielder could turn the Nationals into contenders for the division
Prince will be a TEXAS RANGER!!
They have alot if money and they are a winning team!!
If this happens then there is no god.
Google “Darvish.” The Rangers have already spent almost $52 million on the guy and they haven’t even signed him yet. He’s going to cost at least another $120 million (6/20) before its all over. They can’t afford another big name.
The rangers have more money than the angels!!! It will cost the rangers to get darvish and fielder just as much as it cost the angels to get CJ and Albert!!
They spent a considerable amount last offseason and are not considered to have a lot of cash on hand vice the Darvish bid. I wouldn’t say “they have more money than the Angels” when the Angels are valued higher and turn greater profits year-to-year. Even the Mariners have higher overall franchise value and average revenue than the Rangers (not in 2011, but averaged over the last decade).
Sure they can depending on their long term plans. Hamilton is a free agent after 2012 and Michael Young after 2013. If they are not going to resign either then spend big in 2012 knowing that a big chunk of change comes off the books to offset fielders price tag. Not saying it will happen just that they could afford him long term.
Nats line-up in 2012..
SS Desmond
RF Werth
3B Zimmerman
1B Fielder
LF Morse
2B Espinosa
C Ramos
SP Stras
CF Crisp
2013 will be even more interesting because Nationals will play 81 games vs AL foes (aka every team will need some sort of DH) so if the nats finally want a CF…
CF Ellsbury
RF Werth
3B Zimmerman
DH Fielder
1B Morse
LF Harper
SS Espinosa
2B Rendon
C Ramos
2014
CF Ellsbury
2B Rendon
LF Harper
DH Fielder
3B Zimmerman
1B Morse
RF Werth
SS Espinosa
C Ramos
Where did you get 81 games against AL teams? If that’s how you’ve understood the new schedule plans, you may want to re-read them.
Im sorry, is that Jacoby Ellsbury? How do you suppose the Nats will get him?
If you’re putting Ellsbury in that line up, you might as well take Rendon and Harper out. Never, ever happening.
Nats line-up in 2012..
SS Desmond
RF Werth
3B Zimmerman
1B Fielder
LF Morse
2B Espinosa
C Ramos
SP Stras
CF Crisp
2013 will be even more interesting because Nationals will play 81 games vs AL foes (aka every team will need some sort of DH) so if the nats finally want a CF…
CF Ellsbury
RF Werth
3B Zimmerman
DH Fielder
1B Morse
LF Harper
SS Espinosa
2B Rendon
C Ramos
2014
CF Ellsbury
2B Rendon
LF Harper
DH Fielder
3B Zimmerman
1B Morse
RF Werth
SS Espinosa
C Ramos
I predict fielder to be out of a job until he fires Scott Boras and/or goes down on his asking price/years. He a solid hitter, but definitely not worth as much per season as Pujols. Pujols is a gold glove caliber fielder, Fielder….. Not so much. And fielder isn’t as good of a hitter either. And I can’t stand the fact that a team gave Pujols so many years, but he’ll bring that money back as a DH. Fielder is worth maybe $18 million per season MAX.
Fielder can earn his 25.4M a season, but the teams that would sign him for that are being blocked right now, due to his ten year contract demands. No one is going to give him that salary for those many years. Boras can ask for the moon, but all the big-market teams are out of the running in the winter of 2011.
That narrows the field dramatically for his services. Fielder has to ask himself, do I take the 5 years with perhaps an option for a sixth at the amount he wants per year, or does he hold out that someone will eventually cave into his demands? I can see him sitting at home for a year, because the second option isn’t going to happen. Fielder can take the five years and hit free agency again at 33, hoping he is still productive for another big payday, but that is the unknown factor. He wants ten years guaranteed, becoming the next albatross failure on a team’s books, if he gets injured or his numbers drop substantially, even with a DH status.
He should have stayed in Milwaukee(not that he can’t return), also, as an O’s fan I am more concerned about the years than the $. With that said, I could see the Nats signing him to an 8/200 deal.
Hai <3