Fielder

[cmdterps44]

I'd be ok with playing LaRoche at 1B, Morse in LF until Harper comes up (June?), dealing LaRoche and moving Morse to 1B IF there was a way to get a top notch CF.  I also wouldn't mind prince for ludicrous money and shorter years.  I'd be afraid at 10 years, for any player.

This is the way I feel. I'm fine with LaRoche and then shifting Morse/dealing LaRoche but I don't see us getting a quality CF this offseason. Most years for Prince I'd be fine with is 7-8.

[Evolution33]

If there was a team willing to pay Boras what he wanted for Fielder then he would be signed by now. Every day he remains a free agent his market drops a little more. Fielder shouldn't be waiting on Darvish or Cespedes to sign. Fielder should be the plan A, not the plan B, but all the big money teams have first basemen. This was a bad year for Fielder to be a free agent because he was going to be overshadowed by Pujols and the thought was the teams that missed out on Pujols would go after Fielder. It appears the Marlins don't view Fielder as much of an upgrade over Sanchez as they did Pujols, and the Cardinals went out and got Beltran and are shifting Berkman to first. A few years ago the Mets or Dodgers would have been a near perfect fit ready to jump in with big money, but everyone knows the situations those teams are in.

The Giants and Brewers make all the baseball sense in the world but so far are unwilling to jump into the bidding. Of course so is every other team at this point. There hasn't even been a rumor of an offer being on the table from the Orioles or Mariners who are the two teams reported to have the most interest. The Prince Fielder market is going to fall into someone's lap. Perhaps it falls back to the price the Brewers were willing to go before last season or maybe it falls to the Nationals.

At this point it is anyone's guess, but as long as Fielder is unsigned and his market continues to drop all 30 teams have a chance to sign him. 

[blue911]

I'd be ok with playing LaRoche at 1B, Morse in LF until Harper comes up (June?), dealing LaRoche and moving Morse to 1B IF there was a way to get a top notch CF.  I also wouldn't mind prince for ludicrous money and shorter years.  I'd be afraid at 10 years, for any player.

Closer to the All-Star break than June.

[PowerBoater69]

Closer to the All-Star break than June.

I'm going to try for the 7/3 and 7/17 games in my ticket draft.  I'd put my money on the 7/3 game.

[Tyler Durden]

If there was a team willing to pay Boras what he wanted for Fielder then he would be signed by now. Every day he remains a free agent his market drops a little more. Fielder shouldn't be waiting on Darvish or Cespedes to sign. Fielder should be the plan A, not the plan B, but all the big money teams have first basemen. This was a bad year for Fielder to be a free agent because he was going to be overshadowed by Pujols and the thought was the teams that missed out on Pujols would go after Fielder. It appears the Marlins don't view Fielder as much of an upgrade over Sanchez as they did Pujols, and the Cardinals went out and got Beltran and are shifting Berkman to first. A few years ago the Mets or Dodgers would have been a near perfect fit ready to jump in with big money, but everyone knows the situations those teams are in.

The Giants and Brewers make all the baseball sense in the world but so far are unwilling to jump into the bidding. Of course so is every other team at this point. There hasn't even been a rumor of an offer being on the table from the Orioles or Mariners who are the two teams reported to have the most interest. The Prince Fielder market is going to fall into someone's lap. Perhaps it falls back to the price the Brewers were willing to go before last season or maybe it falls to the Nationals.

At this point it is anyone's guess, but as long as Fielder is unsigned and his market continues to drop all 30 teams have a chance to sign him. 

The Giants make sense.  Why did they trade for Beltran just to let him walk?

If we get him, we'll probably trade Morse.  Maybe trading him could net that leadoff CF that we've been after?

[blue911]

The Giants make sense.  Why did they trade for Beltran just to let him walk?

If we get him, we'll probably trade Morse.  Maybe trading him could net that leadoff CF that we've been after?

I wouldn't count on the Giants. Their payroll (per Cots) is at $84M. Lincecum,Pagan, & Cabrera still have to be signed plus they have to figure out what to do with Matt Cain. The partnership just outed the CEO for overspending, so I doubt they will be adding another $20M to their payroll.

[DPMOmaha]

Spoke to a washington #nationals player today about prince: "we're in the market. we're still shooting for him."

[Lintyfresh85]

To expand...

Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com was told by an unidentified Nationals' player that the club is "in the market" for Prince Fielder.

"We're in the market," said the unidentified player. "We're still shooting for him." Of course, just because a member of the Nationals says it doesn't mean that's what GM Mike Rizzo is thinking, but they can't be dismissed as a possibility. The Cubs are reportedly not a player for Fielder, which leaves the Mariners, Orioles and Blue Jays among the other potential destinations.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Smart move for Prince might be to go back to Milwaukee on a 1 year deal for $20+ MM, if it is available, and to reenter the market next year.  Next year there are a lot of OFs but few stud 1Bs.  Milwaukee could probably use the Braun insurance, and it would set them up for a heck of a run once Braun gets back.

[PebbleBall]

Smart move for Prince might be to go back to Milwaukee on a 1 year deal for $20+ MM, if it is available, and to reenter the market next year.  Next year there are a lot of OFs but few stud 1Bs.  Milwaukee could probably use the Braun insurance, and it would set them up for a heck of a run once Braun gets back.

I don't get how the options will really change.  Seems like the only real variable would be if he hurt himself or had a down year.

[imref]

I wouldn't count on the Giants. Their payroll (per Cots) is at $84M. Lincecum,Pagan, & Cabrera still have to be signed plus they have to figure out what to do with Matt Cain. The partnership just outed the CEO for overspending, so I doubt they will be adding another $20M to their payroll.

and the Giants are struggling to reach a deal with Lincecum.  Heyman says they're offering 4/$80 but Lincecum isn't interested (rightly so).  He's going to get $19.2 this year, and probably $25 next year before becoming a FA.  I have to wonder if the Yankees go after him, would the Giants take a package built on Montero/Banuelos to get a solid bat at 1B / backup for Posey and a potential ace LH SP?

I don't understand why the Giants are being cheap, they have a fantastic ballpark that sells out just about every night.

[deeznatz]

To expand...

yep, anybody who thinks the Nats are not in the market for Fielder b/c of what management says is fooling themselves.  I will stand by my statement that Fielder was always, and remains, our number 1 target.  He takes us from an 88-90 win team (maybe better) to world series contenders (assuming thta Ramos and espinosa continue to develop, etc.)

[MarquisDeSade]

I don't understand why the Giants are being cheap, they have a fantastic ballpark that sells out just about every night.

Maybe they're not getting much in TV revenue?

[Ray D]

  He takes us from an 88-90 win team (maybe better) to world series contenders

If we are now an 88-90 win team and maybe better, we are already contenders.

[Lintyfresh85]

I don't understand why the Giants are being cheap, they have a fantastic ballpark that sells out just about every night.

A's are likely to move to San Jose... which is a territory they gave to the Giants in 93-94 (?) to help them with their revenue. If they lose that, they'll likely see a drop in money available to the team... and might be planning ahead.

[comish4lif]

and the Giants are struggling to reach a deal with Lincecum.  Heyman says they're offering 4/$80 but Lincecum isn't interested (rightly so).  He's going to get $19.2 this year, and probably $25 next year before becoming a FA.  I have to wonder if the Yankees go after him, would the Giants take a package built on Montero/Banuelos to get a solid bat at 1B / backup for Posey and a potential ace LH SP?

I don't understand why the Giants are being cheap, they have a fantastic ballpark that sells out just about every night.

Giants 2011 Payroll was $118M. If that's cheap, what is the Nats $68M payroll?

[Lintyfresh85]

http://jon-heyman.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/33714192/34081193

Heyman story. Nothing more to add, really.

[HalfSmokes]

I don't understand why the Giants are being cheap, they have a fantastic ballpark that sells out just about every night.

he supposedly wants ten years and deals like that for pitchers are destined to fail

[Lintyfresh85]

he supposedly wants ten years and deals like that for pitchers are destined to fail

Plus, when looking at his numbers... he's already slightly starting to tail off.

[hammondsnats]

Boswell: Nats on the rise (PA: omg Boz is the man, / sanity)

Boswell: For Nats now is the time to spend (PA: omg Boz is a clown who has no idea what he's talking about, how dare he call out the Lerners).

[hammondsnats]

hahahaha it's so pathetic DC's baseball team is termed "the low-budget nats".

sign fielder.

[Lintyfresh85]

Where did you see them called that?

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

I think the 17 pages of Fielder speculation has now met and maybe even exceeded the "sign Teixeira" thread 

[hammondsnats]

Where did you see them called that?

Boswell in his column.  I just find it funny that the local paper's MLB columnist calls them the low budget Nats.  (major market)

[hammondsnats]

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh