Nationals GM Mike Rizzo said yesterday that first base is “settled” in Washington, but acknowledged that Prince Fielder will make a major impact on his next team. The Nationals continue to be linked to Fielder, though they say they're content with Adam LaRoche at first base. Here's the latest on Fielder, with the most recent rumors up top:
- The Rangers have “one eye” on Fielder, but locking up Yu Darvish remains their number one goal, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. If they sign Darvish, as expected, the chances of a deal with Fielder will drop.
- In some corners of the Nationals organization, there’s “great skepticism” about a very long-term deal for Fielder, tweets ESPN.com’s Buster Olney. Owner Ted Lerner figures to have the final say in the matter.
Sign please.
I think the Rangers have a decent chance, actually. If they don’t sign Darvish, they will go all out for Fielder. If Fielder isn’t signed by the time they do sign Darvish, by then he may take a shorter-term deal (5 years or less), which would appeal more to the Rangers even with Darvish signed.
I don’t see Prince taking a shorter term deal unless he’s jobless entering Spring Training.
Or the AAV is higher?
The Rangers only have “one eye” on Fielder? So, they’re only able to see about a third of him then…
Not a sound strategy with a such a large profile target, IMO.
Ted Lerner is 86 years old. Presumably, he’d like to see the Nats win a World Series — or at least an NL pennant or NL East title — in his lifetime. You be the judge of whether he’s likely to endorse (and pay for) adding Fielder to the Nats and thus making an ‘now rather than later’ run at a championship.
Where was this skepticism when they gave a long term deal to Jayson Werth? Some club will give Fielder a long term deal, and they’ll regret it before it’s over. He’s much better suited for the AL.
A) Werth is in great shape and doesn’t have tons of wear and tear B) the Nats know they overpaid. They did it so others would take notice. They don’t want to be the O’s who can’t give away their money. No one took them seriously before the outragous contract to Werth.
Very true. Sometimes, a club has to over pay a big name player just to get “back on the map”. After the 119 loss season in 2003, the Tiger had to pay Pudge and then Magglio much more than their market value. More than any other team would have even considered. Fortunately for Detroit, the agent was Scott Boras, whose three biggest factors in picking a team were money, money, and money.
Both deals worked out well (until they picked up Pudge’s option and let Magglio’s last option vest), but at least Dombrowski was clever enough to build in escape clauses in case the particular health concerns that damaged their value left them unable to play from the outset of the contract.
Werth and Fielder really have no such health concerns. The concern would be the back end of the deal with Prince. Who is the agent here? Oh yeah. Follow the money.
agreed. you hope as in the tigers case the revenues created over time will pay for it.
I would laugh if Fielder and Boras ends up settling for a shorter term deal.
Time is running out Boras …
I think Boras is hurting Fielder.
That he is, get a 4-5 year contract for him as the highest payed 1B…let him enter free agency again and if he continues to produce, he will get another good $$ contract his next time around
You two are writing as though Fielder has ABSOLUTELY no say or input into any of the decisions that are being made or will be made in his future… how silly is that?
I bet you get layed, too
jhawk90 rumors : Friday
– may skip lunch, big dinner last night
– probable attempt to bail on work at 3:30
– anonymous source convinced there will be stop at liquor store between 4-5pm
– indications point to 2 Evan Williams (neat) consumed, many beers to follow
– “great skepticism” on pizza being ordered, Chinese more likely
– rumors persist there will be passing out before conclusion of Wolves/Cavs game
Evan Williams neat? You sir are a brave man…
Very funny. Too bad I can only give it 1 “like.”
BORAS, HE’S NOT GETTING PUJOLS OR A-FRAUD MONEY, GET OVER IT
I think he’ll end up getting Pujols money, just not Pujols years
so howard money
Prince Fielder will either be signed by the Nationals or Rangers; I doubt he will go anywhere else.
Lefty I would cool it on the joke attempts. You already had one awful one recently. This is so forced and an awful joke. Sorry to be harsh, but I think it’s best for everyone
I agree 100%.
Ok, sorry!
No more.
heiserman?
Fielder’s problem is that he weighs 300 pounds and he’s asking for a Pujols contract, which was total lunacy in the first place.
6 years would be the most I’d offer to Fielder, not sure how much it’d take to get him though
I keep hearing about how Prince Fielder’s body won’t do well.. but how long has he been this big that it’s held him back? He’s played in at least 157 games a season since 2006. I don’t see why he wouldn’t be able to do that into his early-mid 30’s
Cecil Fielders power numbers dropped big time once he hit age 32 and people are assuming the same thing is gonna happen with Prince. It may not, but 25 million a year is to much money to take that chance.
but if he takes a six year deal, we only have to deal with 2 years of potential decline, so i say it’s worth the risk
oh only 2yrs at 25 mil a year….thats ok, we dont need that money to keep the core together…..both zimmermann and the other zim plus all the others will go to arbitration at some point…look what theo is forced to do because of bad contracts…..you wanna be the cubs of the nl east….go ahead….keep drinking the prince kool-aid
how about 4 tops….that makes him 31…4yrs…92million….thats 23 a year and after 3or 4 you are asking for trouble on a N.L. team…im telling you……
Is anyone else happy that there was a mention of Prince Fielder without referring to him as “PF Flyer?” (until now…. sorry)
Maybe it’s just time for Fielder to retire. He’s already reached the point in his career where he thinks he’s worth more than he is.
So with the Cubs trading for Rizzo its safe to assume that if the Rangers sign Darvish Washington will be the only logical landing spot for Fielder right?
I hope Rizzo realizes this and doesn’t end up bidding against himself.
“Washington will be the only logical landing spot for Fielder right?”
No. Seattle is still a viable option and considering they are an AL team, they have an opportunity the Nats don’t have in that they have a DH position and with that… it could mean a make or break LONG TERM deal if that is what Prince really wants.
I’m not saying it will happen.. just responding to your “logical” bit.
Agree- Seattle is probably more logical. If Fielder’s body/defense DO decline, they can just stick him at DH.
And the Nats are better off throwing money at one of the CFs next offseason, which is a much bigger organizational need and signing EJax now.
There are more teams in major league baseball than Washington, Texas, and Seattle. Now that the Cubs have acquired Rizzo for first base, I don’t see them wasting money on a Prince Fielder, since they don’t have a DH in the national league.
Seattle would basically be giving up on Smoak to sign Fielder, since they would have to alternate between first and DH. 25M for a DH is a lot of cash invested. Milwaukee could easily re-enter the sweepstakes, since they are on record as offering six years and 140M. Toronto would also go 5 – 130M, enabling them to trade EE or Lind for a top starter. Washington’s GM has repeatedly said first base is covered with Laroche and they don’t want the headache, but fans don’t listen. They are wearing blinders and ignore the facts. If Texas signs Darvish, Fielder is out as a possibility, since they would rather retain their core.
what in the world is going on with this thread? EE or Lind for a TOP starter?!?! wow. that might be more ridiculous than the strasburg 2.00 era 22-4 prediction.
hopefully seattle takes him….just wishful thinking on my part
If he wants a deal longer than 5yrs, Prince should be resigned to playing in the AL because there is a slim chance he is able to play in the field for the duration of his career. I would like to see him go to the Nationals to change the landscape of the NL East but only if he doesn’t serve as a detriment to that franchise after the 5th year.
It depends on who you want to believe with the Nats and the Rangers. There are rumors of the Mariners and Brewers making bids. The Rangers wouldn’t make much sense. They don’t need offense, so why would they want to gamble with a big contract on a player that is overwieght and can’t play defense.
I am a Red Sox fan, but this team can be scary good as long as their pitching is okay. This is their team assuming they sign Fielder, which they probably won’t.SS Desmond .260 10 50 30sb
3B Zimmerman .280 30 90
RF Harper .330 15 50 limited playing time
1B Fielder .290 35 110
LF Morse .300 35 110 notice how he is better than Fielder…
CF Werth .260 25 80
C Ramos .270 15 50
2B Espinosa .250 25 80
When Bernadina plays for Harper, Zimmerman and Desmond will move down and Bernadina will hit leadoff.
SP Strasburg 2.00ERA 22-4
SP Gonzalez 3.10ERA 15-8
SP Zimmerman 3.30ERA 16-9
SP Lannan 3.70ERA 14-11
SP Hernandez 4.20ERA 10-12
The bullpen isn’t too shabby either. With or without Fielder, this team can make the playoffs. I will be rooting for the Nationals in the NL East this year.
wow strasburg 2.00 era 22-4?? are you serious? harper .330 15 50?! in limited playing time?? talk about overhype machine. geez.
If he doesn’t sign anywhere could the brewers get him? Also if he doesn’t the brewers should have traded him at the deadline. They could have gotten Cain