Fielder

[Kevrock]

Awesome. That's about where I hoped we were in the negotiations, in a best-case scenario. Very interested, but not going beyond 6 years.

Regarding the no-trade, I don't see why they can't come to some sort of compromise. Full no-trade to NL teams and give him X amount of AL teams he can veto.

[imref]

more from Stark::

• If you haven't read Buster Olney's piece this week on why Frank McCourt needs to let the Dodgers make a run at Fielder, you should. (The whole column is for ESPN Insiders only, but even non-Insiders can read enough to get the point.) Despite all of Buster's compelling arguments, though, there have been no indications that McCourt is interested in chasing Fielder or in making any other significant addition before the team is sold.

• After reports began to surface that Boras had "met" with Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria about Fielder during this week's owners meetings, one observer of that "meeting" checked in with Rumblings and described it this way: "They walked by each other. Scott stopped him. They chatted for a few minutes. And apparently, Scott turned that into a 'meeting.'" In other words, there is still no evidence that the Marlins have interest in Fielder. Yoenis Cespedes is the only high-profile free agent they're still actively pursuing.

[Ray D]

one executive who speaks regularly with the Nationals brass is so sure that Washington will be Fielder's eventual destination, he told Rumblings: "Every morning, I wake up and expect to see [that deal] done."

That  blatantly ingores the Darvish factor to the extent that this executive has no credibility.  Isn't everyone pretty much agreed that there will be no Fielder deal until the Darvish issue is resolved?

[JMW IV]

You know what. I'm about tired of this crap.

either sign here or sign somewhere else. just get it done already, Boras.if Fielder doesn't want to play here, then just freaking take a lesser offer to play somewhere else.

this is just like Dunn, where the Nationals are the last, last desperate resort and Boras is begging every other team in MLB to beat whatever it is we offered.

I'm sick of being the last resort destination,

[Kevrock]

I'm sure it's more about the contract than the team.

[PowerBoater69]

I'm sure it's more about the contract than the team.

Right, this isn't the Dunn situation.

[Ray D]

this is just like Dunn, where the Nationals are the last, last desperate resort and Boras is begging every other team in MLB to beat whatever it is we offered.

For Dunn we were truly the last resort. He didn't want to come here.  What indication is there that Fielder doesn't want to come here?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Tom - the Kilgore article on how we can afford Fielder and zimmerman talks about how other teams operate with minimal operating profits, including teams that are leveraged.  It is not routine to do what the Lerners are doing.  it might be routine in real estate, but it is not with ball clubs.  As for how much cash they had to put down, I suppose we could research it, but I'm going to guess it was not $150MM in free cash they had around.  More likely, it came off of a credit line or some other borrowing. i'm sure that is part of the calculation that they are not going to take a dime out of the team for the first 10 years and other BS they fling / flang / flung.

[aspenbubba]

Can someone explain the no-trade or limited no-trade that they seem to be hung up on. He still gets the money regardless unless he doesn't want to end up playing for a team that has no play-off potential.

If he is considering DC as a destination then our image has certainaly done a 360 since the trick was played on that pitcher from Texas or Houston that he had been traded here.

[Kevrock]

Boras, who has a terrific relationship with Nats' owner Ted Lerner, the way he did with Tom Hicks in Texas and Mike Illitch in Detroit, can get a deal done on the ownership level because this is bigger than just a baseball deal. It's about positioning the Nationals to become the big market team they should be.
The Nationals still have put down no footprint in Washington. Their TV ratings are the worst in baseball other than those for the Dodgers and Angels. They can't draw even two million people to their ballpark, ranking 14th out of 16 teams in the National League. The have no national identity; no, the Teddy Roosevelt mascot doesn't count.

Fielder, who plays hard, plays every day and swings as hard as any man alive, gives them an identity and also puts them into contention. What is that worth? Washington hasn't seen a real pennant race since 1945 (when the Senators, then of the AL, drew 652,660 people). Even this late, and with possibilities narrowing, Fielder will get somewhere around Mark Teixeira money ($180 million for eight years). "Scott is used to pulling rabbits out of his hat, like the way he did for [Matt] Holliday," one executive said.

But will Fielder mean the end of Ryan Zimmerman in Washington? No. Zimmerman is signed through 2013, when he will be 29 and in line to eclipse Beltre ($80 million for five years signed at 31) as the highest-paid third baseman in history this side of Alex Rodriguez. Can the Nationals really afford to pay Fielder, Werth and Zimmerman more than $60 million per year starting in 2014? The team spent $68 million on is entire payroll last year.

The answer most likely is yes. Where is the money coming from? The same answer that's out there for the Angels, Rangers and soon the Dodgers: TV. The Nationals can "reset" the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) contract according to market value this year -- and the market has exploded since the deal, in which they get about $29 million, was put in place five years ago. Moreover, baseball's national TV deals, which expire with the 2013 season, will begin to be negotiated this year and figure to boost the central fund handout of about $30 million to every club. Increases in local and national TV contracts could cover Fielder money before gate increases are even considered.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/tom_verducci/01/13/ryan.madson.prince.fielder/index.html#ixzz1jMxXBoyc

[JMW IV]

eh, it just feels that way to me.

It seems obvious that they aren't going to get what they want from anyone else, and we aren't budging from whatever we offered.  if there was a better offer than ours out there, they would have taken it already.

so whats the hold up.

Pitcher and Catchers is in like 30 days or so. what is he waiting for, other than a better deal from someone else?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Nick Punto at $3 million a year.

Actually, it is $3MM over 2 years, not $3MM per year.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/compensation/cots/?page_id=154

[Kevrock]

A better deal from us.

[Lintyfresh85]

Of course they have the money to sign Fielder + Zimm + others..

If they're ever willing to actually eat into their profits, and run the team for a profit, but at a reduced rate is the real question.

[Ray D]

It seems obvious that they aren't going to get what they want from anyone else, and we aren't budging from whatever we offered.  if there was a better offer than ours out there, they would have taken it already.

so whats the hold up.

The hold up is Darvish.    If Texas and Darvish don't come to terms then Texas is right back in the sweepstakes.  Some say a Darvish deal is a certainty, while others are skeptical.  I'm in the latter camp, and perhaps Boras is as well.  If Darvish signs in the next few days I expect a Fielder signing within a day or two. If the Darvish window expires without an agreement, I expect Texas to sign Fielder. Why would he sign now when there is the potential for a much bigger deal if he waits until the 18th?  And if he's guessing wrong and Darvish signs, so what, what has he lost?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I'd give Boras and Prince a choice - you can have 6 years, $150MM, 8 years $160 MM, or 10 years, $170 MM.  I still think 3 or 4 years high and then an opt out is the way to go.   

[imref]

I'd give Boras and Prince a choice - you can have 6 years, $150MM, 8 years $160 MM, or 10 years, $170 MM.  I still think 3 or 4 years high and then an opt out is the way to go.   

6/$150 works out to an AAV of $25, that's what Pujols is getting.  There's no way he should turn that down.

[imref]

The hold up is Darvish.    If Texas and Darvish don't come to terms then Texas is right back in the sweepstakes.  Some say a Darvish deal is a certainty, while others are skeptical.  I'm in the latter camp, and perhaps Boras is as well.  If Darvish signs in the next few days I expect a Fielder signing within a day or two. If the Darvish window expires without an agreement, I expect Texas to sign Fielder. Why would he sign now when there is the potential for a much bigger deal if he waits until the 18th?  And if he's guessing wrong and Darvish signs, so what, what has he lost?

I'm still surprised the blue jays aren't in on Fielder, he would be a perfect fit for their team.

[Lintyfresh85]

I'm still surprised the blue jays aren't in on Fielder, he would be a perfect fit for their team.

They're not allowed to go over 5 years according to AA.

[mach1ne]

As everyone assumed from the articles just posted, Boras is still reaching for the moon with what he wants.  He will sign here once Texas lands Darvish at a 6/7 year deal.

[PebbleBall]

I really don't think Darvish is the hold up.

[Ray D]

I really don't think Darvish is the hold up.

If Darvish isn't the holdup, then

(a) Boras is convinced he'll sign with Texas,
(b) the rangers have told Boras that they won't give Fielder any better a deal than any of the other teams, or
(c) there's some other mystery team that Boras thinks will pay.

Which is it?  Or some other reason?

[spidernat]

You know what. I'm about tired of this crap.

either sign here or sign somewhere else. just get it done already, Boras.if Fielder doesn't want to play here, then just freaking take a lesser offer to play somewhere else.

this is just like Dunn, where the Nationals are the last, last desperate resort and Boras is begging every other team in MLB to beat whatever it is we offered.

I'm sick of being the last resort destination,

How quickly we've forgotten that we're the fat woman that only gets action at last call when all else has failed and the vision is blurred.

[Rasta]

The hold up is Darvish.    If Texas and Darvish don't come to terms then Texas is right back in the sweepstakes.  Some say a Darvish deal is a certainty, while others are skeptical.  I'm in the latter camp, and perhaps Boras is as well.  If Darvish signs in the next few days I expect a Fielder signing within a day or two. If the Darvish window expires without an agreement, I expect Texas to sign Fielder. Why would he sign now when there is the potential for a much bigger deal if he waits until the 18th?  And if he's guessing wrong and Darvish signs, so what, what has he lost?

Who is skeptical at Darvish signing?  I think I have read one report in the last two weeks that was remotely cynical on Darvish signing while reading just about every other insider saying they would be surprised if he didn't.  At this point I would be shocked if they didn't agree. 

I don't think this is a Darvish issue at all.  I think it's that the Nats have given Boras multiple offers & none of them are in the 9 or 10 year range that he wanted.  Now there seems to be no team that is willing to give him anywhere near want he wants (and what he promised Fielder) and he's trying to pull a rabbit out of the hat.  He's done it before so maybe he'll do it again but my guess is he'll end up settling for much less than he hoped for. 

My biggest fear is that at the end some other team will swoop in and pay more than we're offering but still get a great deal.  Something like 7 years at 24/year while we're at 6/24.  I'll be pissed if that happens. 

[Slateman]

If the Nats fail to at least make a run at Fielder, I will only be paying to see one game next year. I simply won't get sucked in to it. They want to have a two year plan? Fine. I'll start spending my hard earned money in two years.