Fielder

[zimm_da_kid]

That's what I responded with. They just paid Kemp what, 160mil? Think it'd be hard when I believe another big player of theirs needs to be signed as well.

and with a kershaw extension on the horizon

[cmdterps44]

I'd understand if we had a lowball offer but It'd suck if someone snuck in with an offer when we had our chance. I don't know what to believe right now. I just want a decision to be made so we can get over with this. I hate being letdown every morning when I see MLBTR doesn't have news.

[Kevrock]

I contacted someone I felt has some knowledge on the whole thing and yes, that's what I was told.

Is your "source" common sense?

[InsaneBoost]

and with a kershaw extension on the horizon

Yeah that's it, just waiting on a response from him (if he responds, sometimes doesn't).

[HalfSmokes]

How can someone have knowdge of a team's plans regarding future extensions when said team doesn't have an owner?

[Lintyfresh85]

Why Prince really hasn't signed with any team as of yet...

http://mlb.sbnation.com/2012/1/10/2695317/prince-fielder-rumors-free-agent-propaganda

[PANatsFan]

Why Prince really hasn't signed with any team as of yet...

http://mlb.sbnation.com/2012/1/10/2695317/prince-fielder-rumors-free-agent-propaganda

lolourgrapes

[PatsNats28]

Tweeted by Kilgore:

If I were a Lerner, I'd lay 150 million bucks on that and then sign Prince and turn a profit.

[¡Vamos Ramos!]

I'm honestly thinking at this point I'll be happy either way. We're not going to cripple the franchise forever on a huge, way overpaid contract, but we're also making a market competitive offer. I think the FO has played its hand pretty well so far, especially with things starting to point to Prince needing us more than we need Prince.

[Slateman]

I'm honestly thinking at this point I'll be happy either way. We're not going to cripple the franchise forever on a huge, way overpaid contract, but we're also making a market competitive offer. I think the FO has played its hand pretty well so far, especially with things starting to point to Prince needing us more than we need Prince.

You must be new here ....

[CALSGR8]

Actually according to Boz, the wait is to see if the Rangers get Darvish.  If not, they will get Fielder.

[d_mc_nabb]

My question is, why wouldn't the Rangers allow a leak that they're pursuing Prince? That would presumably give them leverage in the Darvish deal... thoughts?

[HalfSmokes]

Maybe Darvish wants to be paid fairly (i.e. what he's worth not what he's worth minus posting fee) and doesn't care about leverage (i.e. he's willing to go back to Japan). Maybe the rangers aren't interested, but Boras expects them be and is waiting

[Squab]

Maybe Darvish wants to be paid fairly (i.e. what he's worth not what he's worth minus posting fee) and doesn't care about leverage (i.e. he's willing to go back to Japan). Maybe the rangers aren't interested, but Boras expects them be and is waiting

Yeah I think Darvish and his ego are willing to go back to Japan if it means he'll get paid properly, or what he expects anyway. Boras will wait because it's a win win. The longer he waits the better chance of a big offer, and if there's a chance the Rangers are interested he'll wait because they have money.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

There is a lot of cultural pressure on Japanese players not to cost the posting team its money.  Dice-K went through much of the same negotiation, where Boras argued the posting fee should not count against the FA contract.  Eventually, he settled for the $52MM.  Teh fact that Texas has opened with $52 MM is an indication that the money will be higher.  Just a guess - 6 / $60mm gets the deal done on the last day.  He is probably not getting better than 5/ $75MM next year, which is darn good money, so the risk of arm injury and the harm it would do to his marketability in Japan will lead him to agree to a deal.

[tomterp]

Maybe Darvish wants to be paid fairly (i.e. what he's worth not what he's worth minus posting fee) and doesn't care about leverage (i.e. he's willing to go back to Japan). Maybe the rangers aren't interested, but Boras expects them be and is waiting

I doubt the Rangers will disregard the posting fee in their calculation of what Darvish is worth.  It's too late now for Darvish to wish away the posting system.

[tomterp]

There is a lot of cultural pressure on Japanese players not to cost the posting team its money.  Dice-K went through much of the same negotiation, where Boras argued the posting fee should not count against the FA contract. 

Boras had no argument here whatsoever.

A team is only going to pay so much for a player, and whether the money goes to the posting team or the player himself is quite irrelevant to the signing team.

[HalfSmokes]

Boras had no argument here whatsoever.

A team is only going to pay so much for a player, and whether the money goes to the posting team or the player himself is quite irrelevant to the signing team.

true, but the player can decide to pass as well. He's going to make ~$14 over the next two years in Japan, then he can try again. That salary is actually the same as Dice K got in the first two years of his deal if that really is the baseline, so he's not loosing much in that sense. There is an open question about whether or not, he can make up the posting fee in his contract as a free agent, and whether or not he wants the security of a long term deal now, but he certainly has leverage

[zimm_da_kid]

Yeah I think Darvish and his ego are willing to go back to Japan if it means he'll get paid properly, or what he expects anyway. Boras will wait because it's a win win. The longer he waits the better chance of a big offer, and if there's a chance the Rangers are interested he'll wait because they have money.

he hasn't seemed in a rush to come over here before so I don't think he has his sights set on being in the majors this year. 

[tomterp]

true, but the player can decide to pass as well.

Absolutely.  The player is making a similar economic decision as the team is.  Should he take $50m now, or wait 2 (?) years in hopes of getting more over the shorter career remainder? 

If I were Darvish, I'd take the $50m now and thereby insure financial security many times over for life.  If you already have $50m guaranteed, how much more is another $25m worth if you risk losing it all?  Not much in my book, but many of these guys are ego driven (stoked by the agents who benefit directly) and by all accounts Darvish has a huge ego.  But is his ego enough to risk the biggest payday of his career?  We shall see.

[HalfSmokes]

Absolutely.  The player is making a similar economic decision as the team is.  Should he take $50m now, or wait 2 (?) years in hopes of getting more over the shorter career remainder? 

If I were Darvish, I'd take the $50m now and thereby insure financial security many times over for life.  If you already have $50m guaranteed, how much more is another $25m worth if you risk losing it all?  Not much in my book, but many of these guys are ego driven (stoked by the agents who benefit directly) and by all accounts Darvish has a huge ego.  But is his ego enough to risk the biggest payday of his career?  We shall see.

if this were his.first multimillion deal, taking the $50 million would be a no brainer, but it looks like he already has career earnings of around $15 million, plus he should get $6-7 million next year, blowing out his.arm.wont plummet him.into.the middle class

[Obed_Marsh]

I think the FO has played its hand pretty well so far, especially with things starting to point to Prince needing us more than we need Prince.

I hope you are right but...

When considering free agency it is hard to forget that the brain trust that just last year brought us the Jayson Werth(less) contract remains largely intact and making the decisions.

[Dave B]

if we sign this guy people should not go to games for like a month so he doesnt have that whole "live up to the contract" pressure.  just let him think nobody cares or is judging him.

[InsaneBoost]

For what Werth did last year, in terms of WAR, wasn't he technically underpaid?

[zimm_da_kid]

For what Werth did last year, in terms of WAR, wasn't he technically underpaid?

I'd like to see Brian Kenny try to explain that