At this point, what team would Fielder go to?

[Say O!]

Just a gut feeling, but I think the Nats are gonna put up a huge offer and land Prince. They've proven they'll offer big money on premium talent, something the O's haven't shown enough of.

While the Gnats very well make a play for Fielder, they would be much better off using the $$ to go after a CF like Crisp, a LF like Willingham, move Morse to 1B and the remainder on a SP. Three very possible acquisitions that could make them a fringe wildcard contender in the NL East.

Plus, the Gnats team salary is going to escalate quickly once the deferred numbers start kicking in for Werth, Zimmerman, along with big arb raises for Strasburg, Espinosa, Morse. Those are something along the lines of a $30-$40M bump over 2011 salary level of ~$70M.

[Nigel Tufnel]

He'll be the Yankees DH next year.

[Richmond Bird 9]

My one question is, if your were Prince and or C J, why would you sign with Baltimore if you have equal offers on the table. Also, if the offers were close, if I were Prince and or C J (and I am not) they could look at other factors: winning/contending team, teams in TX and FL (no state income tax) and or close to home/family.

I would offer Prince 5/125 plus two options years at 25 mil ea with buyouts. Also have J J call Prince. Reynolds to DH/3B/1B.

[TonySoprano]

Get me Prince and an arm and I'll get you 85 wins(Reimold will also hit 25 next year if healthy). I promise.

I'll also see Oriole attendence up 35%.

Just my opinion. And I bet very few of you agree.

Sorry Roy, attendance is not going to increase by 611,000+. After the 2003 season, there was excitement generated by Tejada, Palmeiro, and Lopez. Attendance increased in 2004 by 290,000 or about 12%. If attendance went up by that amount again, we're back to where we were in 2008. That's still far away from where we were in the days when a guy named Ripken suited up in the black and orange for the last time.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Red Sox. They will dump Ortiz and sign Fielder.

[MarylandAaron]

He'll be the Yankees DH next year.

This seems likely.

[crawjo]

I agree Trea. Signing Fielder would bring relevance back to our organization and show teams that we are messing around. In past years we have signed FA like DLee and Atkins, but a guy like Fielder is something special.

Signing Fielder would be like signing Tejada in 2004....a short-term, meaningless boost to our win totals (into the mid-70s, probably) followed by an albatross of a contract that we unload for any piece of crap package that is thrown our way.

[TonySoprano]

He'll be the Yankees DH next year.

I don't think so because they're going to need to stash Jeter there before his deal ends.

[scOtt]

I don't think so because they're going to need to stash Jeter there before his deal ends.

I know you're half joking/half serious, but I doubt they "disrespect" him like that. (And make themselves look like fools for giving him that contract...) They'll still run him out there at SS and he is still hitting.

Tho they will need the DH spot for Posada and ARoid...

[GoldGlove21]

I would love for someone to show me how we can afford Fielder if we are really going to look to bolster the starting pitching staff with quality arms. I do not want three starters added on one year deals. I think we are going to need pitching in 2013 as well and like the idea of allowing some of these young guys the opportunity to pitch an entire season in AAA and get some of their swagger back while working on their stuff. If they kill at AAA than maybe you raise the value enough to deal for an elite talent or more afforbable middle of the order bat. I do not see the Orioles taking the team salary above $105M this year to land Fielder which is what they would probaby need to do if they were going to add quality starting pitchers that were not one year fliers.

[Dipper9]

I think Fielder stays in Milwaukee, or else goes to the Cubs. There is ONE major factor and one minor factor in keeping Feilder out of Baltimore. The Major factor is Angelos, the minor factor is 14 straight losing season. If the market does not develop how he thinks, he'll go back to the Brewers, especially if they go far in the playoffs.

Likewise, I think Pujols stays in St. Louis, but if he does leave, Albert will be the headline free agent, not Fielder.

[Dipper9]

http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110923&content_id=25106296&vkey=news_bal&c_id=bal

As long as MacPhail's gone, there's a good chance he's an Oriole.

God love Trea....he's like that kid who still believes in Santa even though he's heading into High School. Keep believing Trea...keep believing!

[video=youtube;PBEXSiFzOfU]

[Dipper9]

Ive said it before. I'll say it again. I dont care if no one on this board agrees with me and most dont. But, I believe this franchise needs a face and a brand. Prince is that brand. Brands cost money.

Lots of it. They could do a million "Were you there?" MASN spots and no one can give a Holy hell about anything. Prince is the player for whom people put their newspaper down to watch

the screen. He is a colorful,energenic and talented fellow. He is also very fat and injuries COULD be on the horizon. That said, any deal is a huge risk(see Morneau, Justin. or Bedard, Erik or Santana, Johan). The Orioles NEED to get this guy. They need it because 35-40 more HR and 100RBI's from 1b could help cover alot of pitching deficiencies. That said, the Orioles MUST get some top flight

pitching either through trade or strategy. Let Jim Johnson try as a starter. Maybe Simon is a back end fit for the rotation. Maybe Matusz bounces back. But get at least one TOR starter to go with the

big boy.

Much as I love these guys, and they had 4 guyss with 20-37 HR's ,you will not win with Chris Davis anywhere and Nick Markakis is not getting it done offensively with 15 HR.Plus, next year you could lose Hardy or Wieters or Reynolds and the bat dropoff his huge.

Get Prince at whatever cost and add a top pitcher(Wilson, Kuroda, or make a deal for someone and try and do something right in developing your young pitchers).

Prince will likely NOT be an Oriole for one of many reasons. But its the RIGHT move and so is the pitching upgrade.

Get me Prince and an arm and I'll get you 85 wins(Reimold will also hit 25 next year if healthy). I promise.

I'll also see Oriole attendence up 35%.

Just my opinion. And I bet very few of you agree.

Oh, I wholeheartedly agree with you that we NEED Prince and pitching. Where I disagree is I think the Orioles won't do what it takes to bring him here.

[DrungoHazewood]

Sorry Roy, attendance is not going to increase by 611,000+. After the 2003 season, there was excitement generated by Tejada, Palmeiro, and Lopez. Attendance increased in 2004 by 290,000 or about 12%. If attendance went up by that amount again, we're back to where we were in 2008. That's still far away from where we were in the days when a guy named Ripken suited up in the black and orange for the last time.

This idea that a superstar player jacks up attendance by huge amounts was one of the first things Bill James discredited 30 or 35 years ago. He did it with Nolan Ryan (everyone knew he increased Astros attendance by many thousands of fans a game - until the data showed that Joe Niekro outdrew him for several years). If Ryan couldn't do it, Prince Fielder certainly won't. By himself Fielder might sell a thousand season tickets or so, if you're lucky. But unless the team really contends the ticket sales will be pretty flat, and even with a good team the real bump doesn't come until the year after.

[Dipper9]

This idea that a superstar player jacks up attendance by huge amounts was one of the first things Bill James discredited 30 or 35 years ago. He did it with Nolan Ryan (everyone knew he increased Astros attendance by many thousands of fans a game - until the data showed that Joe Niekro outdrew him for several years). If Ryan couldn't do it, Prince Fielder certainly won't. By himself Fielder might sell a thousand season tickets or so, if you're lucky. But unless the team really contends the ticket sales will be pretty flat, and even with a good team the real bump doesn't come until the year after.

Taking all of the other good reasons out of the equation of why we won't get Fielder, I'll send another hypothetical one out there...

If Angelos didn't allow us to make even a solid offer to Tex, (the Maryland native who would certainly have attracted fans to the ballpark, who in addition to being a middle of the order bat, also plays gold glove defense) then why in the blue hell would he sign an overweight Fielder with decent but not great defense?

The idea that we will even be in serious contention for Fielder is ridiculous!