Prince: "I'm not happy about (contract renewal)"

[fondybrewfan]

Just seems that in general young players aren't really happy with the current system. Howard wasnt happy this year, Fielder and Hamels arent especially happy about it this year. I don't know if these players are just incredibly impatient or if they really dont understand the economics of baseball. I mean the union that you belong to you agreed to the current system so if you are pissed that Craig Counsell is making more than you, you should complain to Donald Fehr not Doug Melvin.

[Fatter than Joey]

In all fairness -- the union is made up and supported by the older players -- so it is probably fair that it benefits them first.

[Thurston Fluff]

Weeks is already getting paid over $1 million, so no you can pay Fielder more. Heck Hart is making less than Braun even though he has more service time

 

Weeks was a higher draft pick and signed a major league contract out of college. If Prince wanted to get that type of contract he could have went the college route proved himself at that level and been the type of draft pick capable of getting a major league contract. As it stands Prince will probably get more than Weeks when he gets to Weeks age.

 

AS far as Prince goes this is part of what he singed up for when he signed with Boras. Giving a Boras client more money now in the hope of singing him to a cheaper deal in the future is not prudent. Boras will take the money now and later. With this type of agent you play hard ball from the word go. No incentive, no goodwill gesture, no appreciation will help get him to accept less money or buy out arby years for less than top $. With that being the case Prince needs to accept his choice of agent has a down side. No one is going to give him one cent more than they have to. There is just no upside to doing that in this case.

 

Prince play hard, mash homers, drive in runs, enjoy the cheers in Milwaukee, help the team get a WS title and then take the best deal when the time comes. I'll cheer for you until that day comes. After that you'll just be another player on another team. I won't boo or cheer for you. I won't feel you abandoned our team or be mad at you for leaving. I'll just accept you wanted to be paid more than my team wanted to pay you. All the while cheering your replacement on in hope of another WS.

[Diggr14]

Prince really needs to check his ego at the door. Obviously, he is an emotional guy, but in my opinion he is a ticking time bomb. Anyone else get this feeling from him. It just seems like he is so angry at life that he forgets perspective and the natural order of things.

 

Whether it be in game, where he gets heated.. I mean HEATED every time a pitcher comes remotely close to hitting him... or hitting him. Or whether it be in the press in comments made toward his father (who is a dirt bag.... but don't let him bother you now, c'mon- the only reason he is an issue is because Prince makes him one. Lastly, this whole contract issue will probably turn into a mess... seeing that 1. Prince has a very short fuse and is seemingly immature and 2. Scott Boras. This whole thing will end as a trainwreck and in my opinion come 2010, the Brewers will be in a great position to deal Prince Fielder to the American League for a glut of prospects/ Major league ready players. Im not all that worried about it, because unless things change, i'd rather see Milwaukee invest their money in guys like Ryan Braun, Corey Hart, Rickey Weeks, and JJ Hardy... as they will be cheaper and less of head cases.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Prince Fielder hasn't been offered a contract that eats up a few of his free agent years because Prince's agent will refuse to accept such an offer. It's because of Boras' refusal to give any team a 'hometown discount' that Fielder hasn't been offered a deal similar to what Pujols got from the Cardinals. If Fielder wants more money now, he shouldn't be looking at Melvin, he should be looking at his agent.

 

Prince can't have it both ways - if he wants big money now, he'll have to include 1-2 seasons of free agency in the deal. If he wants to get to free agency and the huge payday as soon as possible, he has to play through these arby years, accept what the Brewers give him (or what an arbitrator decides). I can't wait for arby next year, you know Boras is going to come to the table with a 15 million dollarish figure, and the Brewers' will probably be 1/2 of that.

 

This isn't the Brewers being cheap - this is the Brewers being good at drafting a great player who makes a huge impact very early in his career, and the great player's agent temporarily hurting his client's income in order to set themselves up for much more money down the road.

[rluzinski]

This whole thing isn't a big deal anyway. Prince doesn't like what he's getting paid this year but he's moving on. Yeh, he should probably knwo better than to discuss his salary publically but he did the same thing last year and it didn't turn out to matter anyway.

[Tbadder]

I agree with all you guys who think that we should make no gesture toward a Boras client. However, they way we do business in baseball is changing again because teams are flush right now. Fielder being unhappy is of no concern to me now, or later when he leaves. But his unhappiness and the unhappiness of young players, will eventually make major league baseball bleed again. Expect the demands of the union to be extravagent when the old deal is up. And since baseball is paying so well right now, those players can afford to take off a very long time come the next strike.

[RoseBowlMtg]

Has anyone asked Prince who they are? "There are a lot of guys with the same amount of time I have who have done a lot less than me and are getting paid a lot more."

 

Let's examine that: a lot of guys? A lot is more than 3 but at least 5 I would say

 

Same amt of time: Plenty of players

 

who have done a lot less: That takes out Howard since he has done more not a lot less.

 

So 5 players getting paid a lot more who have done a lot less: Any names where this might be true and I mean the same situation not the Tulo early signing. Someone ask Prince who that would be.

[patrickgpe]

three is noone on a 1 year deal. guys like tulo and sizemore are but gave up arby years to do so. prince can't have it both ways.

[RoseBowlMtg]

three is noone on a 1 year deal. guys like tulo and sizemore are but gave up arby years to do so. prince can't have it both ways.

So when Prince says a lot there is none? Will anyone ask him or call him on it. For ex: Prince which players with the same amt of time are getting paid more and they have done a lot less so that takes away Howard?

[endaround]

Yes lets grill Prince on a meaningless throwaway line! That will keep him happy and in Milwaukee! I don't understand why its hard to understand. His father blew his signing bonus and he didn't get as big of a raise as he expected when the minimum went up. Now you might find that petty, but if you were swindled out of millions you too might have a chip on your shoulder. Again focus on Hardy who needs to put up this year to assure his future with the team.

[RoseBowlMtg]

Yes lets grill Prince on a meaningless throwaway line!

Prince is loved here and no one will boo him imo. A throwaway line? a lot means what?

 

His mindset is off and will be out of here asap. He will hold this against the Brewers but that is most likely imo. Why not ask him who he's thinking of since he said a lot so maybe he can come up with them that I am not familiar with. What's so hard with the next question? Who Prince? Should we not ask the question since we know there isn't anyone or should we see him back up his statement. He is ripping the Brewers.

[sheethead]

Unfortunately, Prince will be unaffordable for the Brewers (Boras), so whether Melvin throws another $300k at him this year is moot. His being unhappy with the renewal is a product of his agent relationship. Melvin knows this, so enjoy him for another 2 years, cause he's gone after that.

[RyDogg66]

Unfortunately, Prince will be unaffordable for the Brewers (Boras), so whether Melvin throws another $300k at him this year is moot. His being unhappy with the renewal is a product of his agent relationship. Melvin knows this, so enjoy him for another 2 years, cause he's gone after that.

I dont know why we'd trade him after next year....unless that was a throwaway line as well.

 

[iluvlamp]

Really? No one? OK then. Prince really needs a

http://youngmanhattanite.com/uploaded_images/waahmbulance-747602.jpg

[sheethead]

I dont know why we'd trade him after next year....unless that was a throwaway line as well.

I guess that all depends on the team. Santana comes to mind.

 

 

(pared back nested quote --1992)

[logan82]

sbrylski06 wrote:

But what is Howard expected to get the next two seasons? $14M and $18M, hopefully at the most? Give that progression to Fielder, and over the next four years he's set to make:

 

0.6, 10, 14, 18 = 42.6 million dollars

 

So I'd think 4/40M would actually be a pretty fair deal. Trade off maybe a couple million at the most for that guarantee. But we know Boras would never sign it.

That still doesn't address the original issue of being underpaid this year. Maybe $40M isn't as lowball as I originally thought, but I see no point in giving out a contract worth approx wht Fielder will get in arbitration anyway. The only reason to give out a multiyear contract is to buy out free agent years or save some money. $2.6M isn't enough of a savings to make a multi year deal worthwhile. I still think we can get Fielder for around $9M next year. Keep in mind that the Phillies offered Howard $7M and the arbitrator has to pick one or the other.

[sbrylski]

That still doesn't address the original issue of being underpaid this year...

 

That was just an illustration. A deal would more likely be paid out like 6-8-12-14 or so.

 

So the benefit is to save maybe a couple million, but also designate some of his payroll number from his last two years over his first two years, and give us a little more flexibility down the road. By 2011, $14 should be a very friendly trade price.

 

I agree that this is all moot though - he would never sign.

[logan82]

What did Cabrera get that gave the Phillies the idea that $7M would be a fair offer?

[TooLiveBrew]

An all-you-can-eat pass with (no expiration date) to the Olive Garden...

[mothershipconnection]

What did Cabrera get that gave the Phillies the idea that $7M would be a fair offer?

 

"Those penalty sit-ups you want me to do? I got it right here in my contract that I don't have to do any calisthenics I don't feel are necessary. What do ya think of that?"

[brewerjamie15]

I don't think that the Brewers low balled Fielder.

I think that if you start letting Fielder tell you what he should make then all the rest of your young players from here on out will do the same.

Both sides of the issue have to live with the system, both sides agreed to it.

I hope that when Fielder is looking at Arbitration that he remembers how important it is to be "fair". I'm kinda thinking that Fielder will not be saying to himself as dollar figures are being passed around: "Ya know, I realize that in 2008 I didn't quite get what I thought I was worth, but I'm going to be fair. I want $12 M for '09, and the Brewers are offering me $8M. I think that it's fair I take $9M and call it a day."

BZZT! Not! Fielder is going to stick it to Milwaukee and he knows it.

[TheBrewer]

Everyone says Fielder is a leader in the clubhouse ---> does that have some corelation with the fact he called out the fans when the would boo at home or with this whining to the media, or blowing steam at his dad ---> what type of a leader is he??? Now he may be awesome in the clubouse, a real leader, but at the same time from the perspective he's letting off it's that dont mess with him or he'll open his mouth, and that hes very outspoken.

Its one thing to say something around "you know I am dissapointed but I realize its a business and the two sides couldnt come together so they used their system for paying us out", and another with the way Fielder went about it and what he said.

and what Brewerjamie15 said, if you let Fielder get higher than that, then the rest of the young stars will want that too, and it has to be fair to all

[Tbadder]

I'm suppose to have sympathy for rich babies? And don't pretend that's not the issue. The marketplace is interconnected. It involves all of us deeply. And I've got to listen to the whining of the top 2% in money made. Everyone's suppose to be looking out for Prince's feelings? Just shut up Prince. Just shut the blank up. Classless.

[sheethead]

I'm suppose to have sympathy for rich babies? And don't pretend that's not the issue. The marketplace is interconnected. It involves all of us deeply. And I've got to listen to the whining of the top 2% in money made. Everyone's suppose to be looking out for Prince's feelings? Just shut up Prince. Just shut the blank up. Classless.

I completely agree. Also, its agent driven comments like this that take away from being a fan of the game. How can 95% of fans relate to this? Prince is already making more in one year the we make in several, all to play a game he loved when he was a kid. The whole entertainment industry is out of whack - i'm also looking at you Lion King.