Prince could accept 3 year deal

[Sports Guy]

Who's at 2B?

Who's at 1B/3B?

Who's at LF?

Who's at DH?

From a offsensive prospective I can't see us as good as last year without bats like Scott, Vlad, Lee, and Roberts... Although most of the time Lee stunk and Scott and Roberts were injured...I can't see Reimold and Davis being better than Scott and Vlad.

Antonelli, Reimold, Davis and Reynolds...need to add another bat like Scott.

[Bradysburns]

Yep, acquring Fielder forces the Orioles to win now, where otherwise they could continue to tread water with little financial consequence. And forcing the Orioles to win and have some urgency to do so is at good thing for the fans.

I don't believe in "savior" signings. This would be a savior signing - and it would go horribly wrong. Especially for three years? Please. We need to build something - a team. We don't want a one-man sideshow, nor do we want to make moves in isolation. I think that contract might hinder your ability to build - and it could also set unrealistic expectations. That could backfire in a number of ways - and force the team into making more moves out of desperation, thus continuing the cycle.

In fact, you already seem to have unrealistic expections (IMO) regarding what Prince could do for this team starting next year.

[weams]

BTW, with all this talk about fat people, anyone else hungry for some Outback Steakhouse Kookaburra Wings?

I am. With a Blooming Onion.

[Satyr3206]

I am. With a Blooming Onion.

And a 196 Oz Ribeye!

[Rene88]

I don't believe in "savior" signings. This would be a savior signing - and it would go horribly wrong. Especially for three years? Please. We need to build something - a team. We don't want a one-man sideshow, nor do we want to make moves in isolation. I think that contract might hinder your ability to build - and it could also set unrealistic expectations. That could backfire in a number of ways - and force the team into making more moves out of desperation, thus continuing the cycle.

In fact, you already seem to have unrealistic expections (IMO) regarding what Prince could do for this team starting next year.

I agree with you in theory, but PA won't obviously give free reign to anyone. I was very critical of AM and his cheapness, but I would be very surprised if he didn't want to spend more money on international scouting and player development. Until Buck got here and because the new "chosen one" nothing changed.

I guess where I am going with this is if you assume money saved in place X, creates more money in place Y, then that is great. However, that isn't the way it works with this dysfunctional franchise.

My opinion is the right moves will never be made under PA, so might as well open the purse strings so when we are mathematically eliminated in July, I cannot at least see Fielder hit some long bombs while I drink my beer.

[Sports Guy]

BTW, with all this talk about fat people, anyone else hungry for some Outback Steakhouse Kookaburra Wings?

Their wings are awesome.

[atomic]

My opinion is the right moves will never be made under PA, so might as well open the purse strings so when we are mathematically eliminated in July, I cannot at least see Fielder hit some long bombs while I drink my beer.

And perhaps the team scores 800 runs. And then we could say this team would be good if we only had some pitching.

[Frobby]

From a offsensive prospective I can't see us as good as last year without bats like Scott, Vlad, Lee, and Roberts... Although most of the time Lee stunk and Scott and Roberts were injured...I can't see Reimold and Davis being better than Scott and Vlad.

Last year, Scott and Vlad combined for .271/.312/.412 in 826 PA. Reimold and Davis (as an Oriole) combined for .256/.323/.436 in 434 PA. Scott and Vlad had 22 HR and 85 RBI; Reimold and Davis had 15 HR and 58 RBI in about half as many PA. The 2011 production from Scott and Vlad is quite replaceable. That said, we have room on the roster for another bat, and I'd like to re-sign Scott or get someone better.

[El Gordo]

If Prince signed a contract with a 3 year opt out, the MFY's, Phillies and Sux might have more interest in him than they do now. Tex will have one year left, Howard two, and Poppy will be long gone. I doubt Young will still be in Texas either. I would be surprised if Fielder isn't putting up better numbers than all of them in 2014.

[DrungoHazewood]

Yep, acquring Fielder forces the Orioles to win now, where otherwise they could continue to tread water with little financial consequence. And forcing the Orioles to win and have some urgency to do so is at good thing for the fans.

You can't really believe that anything forces the Orioles to do anything, can you? You're actually suggesting that signing a player to a far bigger contract than any other contract in team history will force Angelos to go back and spend even more?

I think you could make a better case based on historical precedent that a 7/180 deal for Fielder would result in the O's payroll for the other 24 guys on the team to shrink. The 2003 Orioles had the same payroll in 2005 despite signing Tejada and Lopez in 2004 (and their '04 payroll was significantly lower!)

[Frobby]

I heard Buster Olney on the radio today saying that Boras has been going around trying to convince teams that Fielder should get 10 years, like Pujols, but that chances are he will "only" get 6 or 7 years.

Tom Boswell wrote a long column today explaining why he thinks the Nats should not chase Fielder (but should go after a CF). Here's an excerpt regarding the market for Fielder:

The teams rumored as possible destinations for Fielder — because they’re the only ones that may have enough money and no expensive star first baseman already in place — are the Rangers, Mariners, Cubs, Blue Jays, Orioles and Nationals.

How nice. Except all of them say they don’t want Prince, or at least not at the $200-million-plus price that came into play when Pujols signed.

We know when this logjam will break. The Rangers face a Jan. 18 deadline to sign Yu Darvish, presumably for more than $100 million. If they agree to terms (highly likely), that probably takes Texas out of the picture. But if Darvish goes back to Japan, Texas will be all over Fielder to keep pace with the Albert Angels of Los Angeles. Few think Texas will spend $300 million for both Darvish and Fielder; they’ve already been to two World Series.

What’s left? Not much, really. The Cubs and M’s have made it clear that they’re rebuilding, so no thanks. The Cubs are more likely to trade Matt Garza for prospects than sign Fielder. The M’s offense is so awful Prince would get about one pitch to hit per week. Both teams’ GMs have openly ridiculed reports that they would pursue Fielder aggressively.

The Blue Jays (81-81), with new blood, and the O’s may get in the game, but both indicate it won’t be near current $200 million speculation. Besides, royalty doesn’t want to play for Peter Angelos’s little shop of horrors in Baltimore.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/prince-fielders-price-is-not-right-for-nationals-right-now/2011/12/28/gIQA5wZCNP_story.html

[Sports Guy]

Frobby, you love Boswell, don't you?

As for Fielder, I am really amazed how little buzz there has been for him and how slow the market is for him.

[Fan4Life]

Frobby, you love Boswell, don't you?

As for Fielder, I am really amazed how little buzz there has been for him and how slow the market is for him.

Isn't he little more than a DH?

[Can_of_corn]

Frobby, you love Boswell, don't you?

As for Fielder, I am really amazed how little buzz there has been for him and how slow the market is for him.

I am not. The big players are out for various reasons and the mid level guys are leery of tying up a huge hunk of resources for someone of his size.

[Sports Guy]

I am not. The big players are out for various reasons and the mid level guys are leery of tying up a huge hunk of resources for someone of his size.

Yea but he is still a monster bat in a league where those bats don't exist anymore.

I am guessing that this is more of a case of Fielder and Boras not realizing "his place" at this time.

Boras was/is likely overrating his market in his own mind.