Fielder

[Terpfan76]

They've drafted quite a few players with injuries. Granted it might not be a problem, but that's still a big gamble. coughRedskinsKellyThomascough.

Yeah, players that were considered top 5 if not #1 overall picks but fell due to injury. Lower risk/high reward picks.

[natspride]

Well, at least they don't micromanage idiotic draft pick choices.

There's no comparison between the two.

Al actually had a sports background....and he's WON. 

[PANatsFan]

It sucks to see on MLBTR that the Mariners are the team willing to spend the most and are most interested in Fielder. I mean its all hearsay crap probably but it'd still be lame as hell and rather upsetting to see us used again.

Mariners are dead in the water without something. Nats are still in the hunt.

[zimm_da_kid]

Mariners are dead in the water without something. Nats are still in the hunt.

I'm sure fielder would rather go to the nats then to the M's.  If he goes to the M's then he will get nothing but junk to hit. 

[¡Vamos Ramos!]

I'd be shocked if Fielder ended up in Seattle. He has no desire to be on the west coast and I doubt he wants to be on a team that's going nowhere fast. The Nationals are probably his best option for what he wants, it's just what are we willing to pay and what Prince is willing to settle for.

Admittedly, though it may be about the time in the process where a mystery team shows up... 

[zoom]

Jack Z. has been playing the Fielder thing very much like Rizzo has.   Actually, he doesn't even mention him by name.   Could be a great game of poker he is playing, but the M's need a lot, not just 1 bat.  Doesn't seem like a fit to me.

[That Kid]

I also seriously doubt the Mariners are gonna get Fielder. Most of their lineup is in shambles and Fielder isn't gonna fix everything. It would probably be best for them to draft more bats and have a long-term solution rather than spending a megaton on one player.

[PowerBoater69]

Jason Reid says sign Fielder, the second half of his column covers the standard list of supporting arguments, the first half (posted below) supports the Fielder signing in order to bring a larger segment of the black community into Nats Park.

It’s time for the Washington Nationals to really shake up their cast. They’re ready for a big-time leading man. Free agent first baseman Prince Fielder is the player the Nationals need — and prolific power is only part of his appeal.

With the Nationals working hard to attract attention for all the right reasons, the moment has arrived to put a new face on their franchise. And if it happened to be a black one, then so much the better, because it could only open more doors for them.

On arrival, Fielder would become the Nationals’ first black superstar. That wouldn’t hurt the franchise’s efforts to broaden its appeal locally and nationally.

If Washington signed Fielder and the team excelled, it could gain a bigger share of the market. How much would a significant bump in attendance be worth to the Lerners? Increased ticket sales, more parking and concession revenue . . . it could happen.

The Lerners should follow the lead of Redskins owner Daniel M. Snyder, who knows little about football but is second to none at marketing. Correctly, Snyder foresaw the impact quarterback Donovan McNabb would have on Redskins merchandising sales. And McNabb’s short run here wasn’t successful on the field.

Imagine the following Fielder could generate while hitting tape-measure home runs for many seasons.

Also, in the District, the potential of a productive black superstar to influence positive change cannot be underestimated. Who knows what Fielder could help the Nationals accomplish in the community?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/for-the-washington-nationals-and-prince-fielder-the-time-is-now/2012/01/07/gIQAycnohP_story.html

[houston-nat]

Take a look at the Nationals' 40-man roster right now, and how many black people are on it.

Hint: it's a very short list. A very very very very short list.

[Mr Clean]

I wonder how many more Season Tickets would be sold if Fielder is signed? Bet it's substantial.

[Lintyfresh85]

There needs to be more blacks playing baseball in general. I want to see the very best athletes (both white and black) playing the game. Not the left overs who weren't good enough to play football or basketball.

[PebbleBall]

I'm sure Prince would attract black fans, because he'd attract fans in general.  As a white guy, I can say I'd buy a Prince jersey day one and be a lot more likely to get out to games I'd normally be on the fence for.  I won't try to speak for anybody black, but I know star power resonates and I think if they had signed, say, Albert Pujols, then there would have still been a significant bump in appeal. 

[PowerBoater69]

I'm sure Prince would attract black fans, because he'd attract fans in general.  As a white guy, I can say I'd buy a Prince jersey day one and be a lot more likely to get out to games I'd normally be on the fence for.  I won't try to speak for anybody black, but I know star power resonates and I think if they had signed, say, Albert Pujols, then there would have still been a significant bump in appeal. 

I'd certainly be tempted to have my first Nats jersey have the name Fielder on the back.  I've been waiting to pick a player and Zimmm and Stras haven't done it for me. 

[Slateman]

I'm waiting for Bryce Harper to be the next Junior

[zimm_da_kid]

I'm waiting for Bryce Harper to be the next Junior

Well when he was drafted everyone said he was and he hasn't done anything to hurt his stock

[UMDNats]

Jason Reid says sign Fielder, the second half of his column covers the standard list of supporting arguments, the first half (posted below) supports the Fielder signing in order to bring a larger segment of the black community into Nats Park.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/for-the-washington-nationals-and-prince-fielder-the-time-is-now/2012/01/07/gIQAycnohP_story.html

Actually a good piece and good argument (and something other than the usual BS we hear) from Reid.

[InsaneBoost]

I usually hate the stuff Reid writes up, but I didn't think it was bad either.

[Tyler Durden]

It's too bad Nyjer Morgan lost his crap.  Tony Plush could have been really good for the team and the city in terms of getting the African-American population more involved with the sport and with the Nats.

Speaking of TPlush - I wonder what he's told Fielder about the Nats.  As I recall, he got into a fight or something with Werth during spring training last year.

[GburgNatsFan]

Sign Fielder.

(I thought I should contribute to getting us back on-topic.)

[Hondo]

Can someone re-post the Boras/Lerner video?  this thread needs to be longer.

[Jedgi]

This thread needs to become longer than the offseason thread so it can become the longest thread in wnff history. (It would be funny if that happened and Fielder didn't sign, funny in a sad way :/)

[Nathan]

This thread needs to become longer than the offseason thread so it can become the longest thread in wnff history. (It would be funny if that happened and Fielder didn't sign, funny in a sad way :/)

The second longest thread in WNFF history was about Dunn and re-signing here when he was a FA and he didn't.  The seventh longest is about Tex.

[cmdterps44]

Sign Fielder

[Gleason2]

It's too bad Nyjer Morgan lost his crap.  Tony Plush could have been really good for the team and the city in terms of getting the African-American population more involved with the sport and with the Nats.

Speaking of TPlush - I wonder what he's told Fielder about the Nats.  As I recall, he got into a fight or something with Werth during spring training last year.

I doubt that Prince Fielder really cares about anything Morgan would have to say about pretty much anything, including the Nats or Jayson Werth.

[GburgNatsFan]

Sign Fielder.