Yu Darvish

[UNT90]

Just asking here as I am not as big a pro baseball fan as many here...If Fielder is so good and "the money is there"...why is he still on the market after all these weeks/months?

Two words:

Scott Boras

[Green Mean]

Just asking here as I am not as big a pro baseball fan as many here...If Fielder is so good and "the money is there"...why is he still on the market after all these weeks/months?

Personally I think Boras and Fielder got a rude awakening when they realized that nobody was going to meet their demands by giving them 8-10 years and 200 million. Plus I think it hurt him big time that both the Yankees and Red Sox had no interest in him as they have Texeria and Gonzalez respectively. The whole time we've been hearing the suitors have been the Cubs, Nats, Mariners, Blue Jays and Rangers. Well realistically if you're not going to get the kind of deal you want then the team that makes the most sense is Texas. One its a hitters park, desirable place to live for many, great team, club house, championship level...the list goes on and on.

It was rumored that Boras wanted to wait until after Pujols had signed and then the line would be forming to the left...and that backfired also as the buzz didn't really increase. All in all I think many are skeptical on how Fielder will hold up after 31 or 32 because of his body which is why I think he'll get a contract of 6-8 years but the team will be able to opt out after like 4 or 5 years or something like that.

In the Rangers position it is also a perfect scenario...the window to win is right now and you're essentially one strike away of winning the series. This is a great team and will be for a while which is I think Texas will certainly sign Prince within the next week or so.

[Green Mean]

Two words:

Scott Boras

Well yes and no. To my knowledge none of Boras' other high level clients ever lucked out this long or that much money when they were free agents. One I think the initial and immediate demands of that many years and over 200 million really turned off a lot of teams including the big spenders. Second I just truly believe that most organizations are really skeptical on how his body is going to hold up. I think he'll be ok for another 3-5 years and beyond there's no telling. That is why I said in the Rangers case it is ok to overspend a little bit now since the window is right there and the goal is to win now.

[Quoner]

Just asking here as I am not as big a pro baseball fan as many here...If Fielder is so good and "the money is there"...why is he still on the market after all these weeks/months? Oh, and why is Pujols signed sealed and delivered to the Angels? They could have signed Fielder for that kind of money. I have no dog in this hunt as, like I said, don't care that much about pro baseball, but I would like to hear more from what our baseball "experts" think.

My guess: because the Rangers know he wants them more than the other options and the price can come down to what they are comfortable with. This is the same way they handled Beltre last summer.

[Eagle-96]

Just asking here as I am not as big a pro baseball fan as many here...If Fielder is so good and "the money is there"...why is he still on the market after all these weeks/months? Oh, and why is Pujols signed sealed and delivered to the Angels? They could have signed Fielder for that kind of money. I have no dog in this hunt as, like I said, don't care that much about pro baseball, but I would like to hear more from what our baseball "experts" think.

I think the misconception here is that it's the MLB teams that don't want to sign Fielder and are shying away. Prince has a sayso in the process too. He knows he can get really good money from Washington and the Cubs. If the Rangers had not signed Yu then he could have gotten comparable money from Texas. Now that Texas has signed Yu, Fielder can decide if he wants great money from the Nats or Cubs or slightly less from Texas with a greater prospect of winning championships. I think it is more a function of Fielder waiting for the dust to settle than anything else.

[Green Mean]

I'm not so sure the Cubs and Nats are really offering more. Unless if I'm wrong I don't think there's any way Fielder and Boras leave a dime on the table. If he's really willing to come here and sacrifice some money for winning and possibly championships(which I highly doubt that) then I totally respect the hell out of him. I just don't think that is what is happening here.

[Rudy]

Billy Beane thought he was too fat to play too. Since then his OPS is over .900 and he dropped something like 50lbs by going vegan. I'd take a chance on Fielder for 5 years any day over a "31" year old Pujols.

I agree with you between Pujols and Fielder but we're discussing Hamilton/Fielder, if only one can be done.

[Monkeypox]

If only one can be done, I'd put my money in Fielder, personally. And that's saying that I'm not opposed to Hamilton long-term, because the ONLY thing I feel working against him is his injury history. Skillset-wise, he can be an outstanding ballplayer for a long long time. But I doubt the money will make sense. And when people talk about decline, they need to understand that the guy is already out for months at a time every year.

But you also have to look at this: These guys' contracts don't exist in a vaccuum. You've got Kinsler, Young, Cruz, Hamilton, Napoli whose contracts are coming up in the next few years. Within that time frame, your pitchers will also start going to arbitration and/or getting raises. You have to COMBINE inexpensive, young talent along with your veterans if you want to keep a window open.

I'd love to see Prince Fielder here because he's one of my favorite ballplayers. Also, then I can see him hit jacks against CJ Wilson more than once a year. Not to be forgotten in "Ways CJ Wilson Contributed to Our World Series Loss Last Year" is the 3-run bomb he gave up to Fielder in the All-Star game, sealing our fate as the away team. But not at any price. And not at the expense of retaining or paying 2 or 3 other people.

[UNTLifer]

Prince Fielder has been this shape all his life. He grew up in Los Colinas and his family was a member of a club where I worked. Prince looks the same now as he did as a 9 year old. Yes he's big, but he's incredibly athletic and I would sign him in a heart beat. I think he likes this area and wants to "come home."

I also think there is money there to take care of Hamilton, and I would liked to see him resigned by the Rangers.

[Rudy]

Prince Fielder has been this shape all his life. He grew up in Los Colinas and his family was a member of a club where I worked. Prince looks the same now as he did as a 9 year old. Yes he's big, but he's incredibly athletic and I would sign him in a heart beat. I think he likes this area and wants to "come home."

I also think there is money there to take care of Hamilton, and I would liked to see him resigned by the Rangers.

Gagree

[Green Mean]

Welp so much for Fielder to the Rangers. He's going to Detroit for 9 years and 214 million. I'm just glad the Yankees and Red Sox aren't the ones making the 'Big' moves(although Yanks got Pineda recently).

And apparently there isn't any escape clauses so all of it looks to be a guarantee. Damn that Scott Boras.

[mattmartin817]

That's a terrible deal the Tigers made. Fielder is a good player but they kind of already have a pretty good player at 1st base in Miggy Cabrera. What are they going to do with Cabrera, move him to 3rd or the outfield? That would be hilarious! With those guys on the corners you can bunt safely with just about every batter. Bengie Molina would have a chance to leg out a bunt against that defense!

[untgirl04]

I just hope the guy isn't the typical "Asian Pitcher" bust. I'll go with Nolan's knowledge and experience in that area until or if I see different in actual game performance. Reports say this guy is "different", but aren't they all? And, pitchers are handled so much differently in Japan (much more rest and much more throwing between games than in the US Bigs) that I do see some risk here...but, again...if Nolan likes it...I like it...FOR NOW! I am also glad to see the Rangers go after some pitching. They need it if they want to be competitive again this year fro the Crown.

Don't want to see Fielder in a Ranger uniform. Can't see it for the money...I think the Rangers lose Hamilton if the get Fielder...maybe not this year, but Hamilton is probably gone if Fielder arrives. I'll take Hamilton.

Just me. and...I am also not unhappy at all the CJ has moved along...good for him...not worth the $$$ to re-sign him. He'll be on the DL soon enough.

Thank goodness for a baseball thread. A few things of note on Darvish:

1) The Rangers have been eyeing him since high school, so they're very familiar with his stuff.

2) When Nolan became involved again with the Rangers, the first thing he did was improve the physical toughness of the pitchers. Over the past few years, the stamina of the pitching staff has really improved (certainly not counting out Mike Maddux's contribution here as well). But Nolan is one of those old school pitchers who believes that all the starters should throw into the 9th. That man can still throw and 80+ mph fastball, so I fully believe he knows how to condition a body. I think Yu will really excel with that routine.

3) Darvish is insanely committed to his workouts (see CJ without the crazy). He stopped in the middle of his Rangers tour to do his workout. If the Rangers give him a specific workout, I am 100% confident he will follow it to the letter.

I had a really nice write-up of why Fielder would want to be a Ranger, including references to the 1927 Yankees' Murderer's Row, but I just saw that Fielder signed with the Tigers. Weird, but oh well.

[Rudy]

That's a terrible deal the Tigers made. Fielder is a good player but they kind of already have a pretty good player at 1st base in Miggy Cabrera. What are they going to do with Cabrera, move him to 3rd or the outfield? That would be hilarious! With those guys on the corners you can bunt safely with just about every batter. Bengie Molina would have a chance to leg out a bunt against that defense!

I thought Miggy "DUI" Caberra played 2nd? Either way, Fielder will probably go to DH. Pretty bad to give him 9 years, but this IS the same city who allows its ambulances to break down in the middle of a shift.

[Green P1]

No prince = failed offseason.

[Green Mean]

No prince = failed offseason.

Disagree. If you want to say a failed off season from a buzz and all eyes on us standpoint then yes because I think adding Darvish/Fielder far trumps Anaheim adding Wilson/Pujols. And while the lineup would have been sick with Fielder being added I believe he was a luxury rather than a necessity. Darvish was the primo player Texas wanted and eyed all along and they got what could be a true ace here in a year or two. That is what Texas needs and is thirsting for so I call that a good investment and an already complete off-season. Offense is not the problem and I think you can always find a good bat here and there to fulfill some needs or holes.

[Green P1]

Meh. We're a year older. We replaced our best regular season pitcher with a guy who's never thrown a ball in America. Nefty and Joe Nathan are both big question marks. Josh will continue to miss more and more games. This team's window could close quickly.

[Green Mean]

Meh. We're a year older. We replaced our best regular season pitcher with a guy who's never thrown a ball in America. Nefty and Joe Nathan are both big question marks. Josh will continue to miss more and more games. This team's window could close quickly.

Agree there are question marks but their were question marks last year as well such as pitching, bullpen etc. Who thought we would have gotten what we did from Holland, Harrison, and Ogando? Every team has their issues they worry about. They're definitely a year older but they're still in the cream of their prime for the most part. Other than Young who is 35 I believe the other guys are in the 28-33 range in position players. I think their window for this specific team intact is about 3 or MAYBE 4 years. Plus we have a very rich and healthy farm system which we can always bring up and/or trade for other pieces.

Nefty will have growing pains but this won't be his first rodeo...he is actually a starting pitcher and that is how he was brought up. I think if he can develop a couple more pitches he is certainly viewed to be an ace if not top of the line rotation. Nathan is a question mark but I absolutely love that signing...I think he'll be really good and be much better than last season coming off Tommy John.

All in all I'm not worried about the Rangers because they're so loaded that if they need something they'll be able to get it.