How do you look at Prince?

[RobDeer 45]

Ok so I was listening to the local sports talk radio station in Milwaukee today (sorry, I'm not sure which one, I'm not from here but was in town for work). They were talking about how Prince was viewed by the public. I was a little upset about some of the things they were saying. One of the things they were saying was that he was never liked from the get go like Ryan Braun was. I for one have to say that is false. I think he was loved right away, even when he was in the minors. Then they started to come up with reasons why he was unliked. I think that last year when he came out saying he was not happy with his contract that people started to turn on him. I believe that people started to get turned off by his comments. I also think with Braun jumping on the scene and becoming another hero to cheer for that many people jumped off the Prince band wagon. I also think that Prince appeared to be angry last year. He really didn't seem like the old Prince until the end of the season.

 

Anyway, the reason for this post is to see what the general feeling is towards Prince. I think he is still the leader in the clubhouse. I still am a big fan and hope that this new contract allows him to be happy and play loose. I hope that most of you are still cheering for this star in Milwaukee, even though he may only be here for a few more years. Enjoy it while it lasts!

[yoshii8]

I've always been a huge fan of Prince, he is very talented and always plays hard. I hope he can improve defensively, but I think as long as him and Braun are in the middle of our lineup we always have a chance to win. I really hope that he gets signed long term eventually.

[Pudster13]

I have always felt that the Brewers franchise finally turned itself around the exact second that we drafted Prince Fielder.(June 2002)

 

I do think that the fans view of Prince has waivered over the years, and I think he is mis-perceived.

 

I think that he is frustrated in part by trying to escape his father's enormous shadow, both on and off the field.

 

Prince has and always will be compared to his dad because of his body type. In spite of this, I always thought Prince would become a better player. (much better average, a little less power while playing average defense)

 

Finally, 2007 was a magic season for Prince.

 

-Clubbed 50 Hrs as a 2nd year player.

-Made the All-Star Team.

-Made strides defensively.

-Took leadership role in the clubhouse.

 

However, the team missed out on the division title the last week of the season (mostly b/c of Nedly)

Also, Prince showed his immaturity by using his 50 hr press conference to make jabs at his father.

Then came 2008...

 

-Declared to the media that he became a vegetarian. (viewed negatively for the typical closed-minded reasons)

-Brewers only offered him the minimum salary.

-Got off to slow start.

-Had dugout incident with Manny Parra.

-Took a step back defensively.

-Off-field financial problems revealed to media.

 

However, the Brewers finished the season by finally making the playoffs (mostly b/c of not having Nedly)

 

All of this, and Prince doesn't even turn 25 until May!

 

Prince has gone through a lot of off-field issues for a young man his age, including raising a young family.

 

With this two-year deal, Prince finally can put his financial problems behind him, and I think he will be an all-star again in 2009.

 

I think all these factors have lead to Brewer fans having a love/hate relationship with Prince, thus far.

 

Bottom line: If he hits, the fans love him and call him a leader. If he isn't hitting, he gets in the doghouse and fans want to get value for him in trade.

 

My take is this ....PRINCE FIELER WILL SILENCE HIS CRITICS IN 2009!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Go Brewers!

[davego]

I'm sort of hoping that when I take my yet unborn grandkids to the games we will see his likeness next to Robin Yount.

[Brawndo the Thirst Mutilat]

Braun signed a long term deal, and sold off a couple of free agent years in exchange for permanent financial security. But by and large, the fan base tends to see that as Braun taking a home town discount, or whatever, because most people really don't understand how salary arbitration works in MLB or how enormous an amount of leverage a team has over a cost-controlled player in his first six years of service time. Prince took a different route, which is totally understandable if you just try to put yourself in his position, and has been demonized for his weight, his defensive failings, and his attitude largely because that route seems to point toward his leaving town at some point in the near future.

 

They're both great players, and Brewer fans should feel equally lucky to be able to watch both of them as they enter their primes, but because Wisconsin sports fans are so feebly insecure about pro athletes (in essence, every star is Kareem Abdul Jabbar, just itching to leave town, until he proves otherwise), only Braun will benefit from the kind of unconditional adulation we are capable of when we really feel like a guy likes us as much as we like him.

[orca1963]

Prince is a old school player in my book, and because of that I was very excited when I heard he was going to be here (barring a trade) for a while longer. He hustles, he dives, he plays with a lot of passion. I was even impressed with his vegetarianism because of his reasons for doing it, reasons I can respect even if I will never myself follow that lifestyle. I don't agree with everything he does or says but who among us can say that about anyone.

 

Everytime he comes up to the plate he can change the game. Everytime he steps onto the field he may also change the game and not always for the better, but it won't be for a lack of hustle.

 

As to the comments regarding his weight I hope only for him to do the best for him for his health first of all, and obviously because he can only be better with a healthier weight.

 

I don't watch baseball much for the stats, I watch it for the game itself, so I tend to look more at personality and "grit" than numbers (I know that borders on blasphemy here http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif) Prince's personality is every bit as big as he is...I hope he has a long carreer as a Milwaukee Brewer.

 

 

[Invader3K]

My only beef with Prince was his complaining last spring about being renewed for $670,000 (or whatever the exact figure was), when he had been offered a $60 million contract which he turned down. Now, was it his right to reject the contract offer? Absolutely. It's his career. But then to complain when the club renews you for what they see as a fair rate, when you knew that would happen...well, I can't see how he can legitimately complain about that. It just came off as whining on his part.

 

Otherwise, I think he is a tremendous player. I think the weight issues get overblown just a bit...I look forward to him coming into spring training this year in better shape, and proving the naysayers wrong. I would also love to see the club try to buy out at least one or two years of his free agency. I don't look forward to the day when he is traded, if that comes.

[Ennder]

Great hitter, bad fielder, good guy. I also agree the weight thing is so overblown, his defense was the same last year as in the past and his offense for most of the season was exactly what I expect, he had a bit of a down year and people just look for something to blame when that is just how baseball works.

[PeaveyFury]

A guy doesn't get voted into the All-Star game as a starter in his 2nd full season in the Majors without being liked strongly by his home fans.

 

The issue that seems to be developing is that Brewer fans (and Wisconsin sports fans in general, I guess) aren't particularly thrilled when it seems like a guy doesn't make an effort to stay in good shape to perform their best. Much like the situation with Sheets here, I guess. The perception (whether fair or not) is that a laid-back attitude with regards to conditioning contributes to some of their issues on the field.

[Tbadder]

Not a big Prince Fielder guy. The Brewers are more of less hitched to him because he's their only legit lefthanded hitter, but in all honesty I can't wait for Boras to take him elsewhere.

 

I mostly don't like him because I dislike great talents who waste that talent, who don't recognize their shortcomings and fail to improve. But really I did like him until he started to whine about money. His ever increasing girth and his public shaming of Parra make him a dislikeable character in my book. This is, of course, just one man's opinon.

[Invader3K]

Public shaming of Parra? I viewed it as two guys getting into a bit of a scuffle in the middle of a long season. Nothing more, nothing less. A regrettable incident, but something that is bound to happen to any sports team once in a great while.

[joepepsi]

I mostly don't like him because I dislike great talents who waste that talent, who don't recognize their shortcomings and fail to improve.

How has he wasted his great talent? How has he failed to improve? Didn't he go from hitting 28 homers his rookie season to 50 in 2008.

 

I think it's important to remember most fans are just plain stupid. That's OK, I suppose. They have other parts of their life that are more important and pressing. They give thought to sports about as long as it takes to watch a game. So, they make idiot conclusions based on limited knowledge and shallow reasoning.

[craigharmann]

I like Prince, I want the best for him. I don't like his choice of agents, but be that as it may. I would love to see him and Braun be the faces of the franchise for years to come. But he's there for the next 2 years, so I'm happy. Love to see 40-50 HRs from both Prince and Braun.

[greeg35]

I absolutely love Prince. I love his game, his passion, and how human he is. It is almost like some people expect that because he's an athlete he won't have faults, issues, or problems. Or maybe there were some just waiting to jump on him the minute he showed his humanity. I love all of that about him.

 

I am realistic in that I know trying to sign him to a longer term deal would not only be difficult/impossible; but it would also be a bad idea given his body type and position. In the meantime, I really appreciate what he brings to the table as far as style and substance and what he has meant to the organization.

[RobDeer 45]

The Parra thing was exactly that, just two guys getting pissed off and it unfortunatley happened where everyone could see it. That was not a big deal. Also, I think his weight is way over blown. He's a big guy! He's always going to be big. As for his contract negotioations I think he gets an even worse rap because Boras is his agent. Nobody likes him and therefore I think some people then start to hate Prince because of Boras. You guys are right, he's not doing anything bad by the way he is going about his negotiations and also right that he should not have complained when he turned down the contract. I too would not have taken that long term deal and probably would have been fired up a bit just looking around and seeing guys making a lot more money than me eventhough I am on of the best on the team. I think he probably was pissed at the system/his agents advice and not as much at the brewers. However he could only take his anger out on the Brewers.

 

Well I'm gald to hear that most people are behind him and I too say look out this year for Prince! I hope he has a great season and we get to see the old Prince who's laughing and having a good time, leading the team, hustling, and mashing homeruns off the third deck!

[rm121978]

One thing I always noticed about Prince was that at no time at any of the 30-40 games that I went to last year did he get booed by the crowd here that seems to love to boo everyone for any little thing they do wrong. Weeks makes an error and the crowd is on him. Prince does the same and after the initial "that hurt us" gasp, it's like all is forgotten. Same thing when he'd strike out 3 times or leave the bases loaded with a bad AB. Other guys would get the boos but Prince seemed to always get a pass. So while he may not be embraced as a huge crowd favorite like Braun is, I still think he is liked by the vast majority of fans and they want to see him do well.

[dlk9s]

How do you look at Prince?

Through a wide angle lens!

 

HYACHACHACHA

 

EDIT: I'm just keeeeding.

[joepepsi]

Ever since the days when I watched Oriole fans turn on Eddie Murray, I've noticed how fans tend to blame the best players for their team's shortcomings. No one ever blames Craig Counsell for making the last out of the game; he'ssupposed to make outs. If anything, they blame the manager for letting Counsell bat. But if your big game slugger makes the last out of the game it's because he's lazy, or not clutch enough, doesn't play the game the right way.

 

I agree with Pudster13. Drafting Prince was the turning point of the franchise, imho. Few teams win without a guy like him in the lineup, while many teams spend a generation trying to find a guy who hits like this. Prince had a frustrating year on and off the field, but he is still a cornerstone to the success of the franchise. I think the big guy is the best all around hitter on the team.

[Gormans sideburns]

I'm a Fielder fan, and have been since they drafted him. Having said that, I do think his weight is a big concern and hopefully he continues to work out to stay at a healthy weight. I am very concerned that if he keeps putting on weight he'll end up a DH in the AL before too long. There's no way any professional baseball player can maintain that much weight on his frame and stay consistent for an entire season. You can see Prince running out of gas at times (although I acknowledge he did catch on fire late in the season). I've always been impressed by his hustling around the bases, and you can tell he is giving 100% on the field and having fun.

[splitterpfj]

I like Prince, and I'm glad he's here.

 

Yes, I wish he would get his weight back down, and yes, I certainly wish he'd signed the big deal last spring - but he's still an outstanding ballplayer.

[JohnBriggs12]

The Brewers might have more than 2 guys with extraordinary talent but only 2 of them have production to match and one of them is Fielder. That's not to say I don't get frustrated with him occasionally and won't bad mouth him once in a while. But he's a guy I pay to see play and want on my team as long as possible. I'd accept it if he were traded but only for another player in the special category, not a bunch of average talent.

[PrestigeWorldwide]

The Brewers might have more than 2 guys with extraordinary talent but only 2 of them have production to match and one of them is Fielder. That's not to say I don't get frustrated with him occasionally and won't bad mouth him once in a while. But he's a guy I pay to see play and want on my team as long as possible. I'd accept it if he were traded but only for another player in the special category, not a bunch of average talent.

I probably agree with less than half of your posts, but I agree with this one 100%. My thoughts exactly on Price and his place in this franchise.

[CheezWizHed]

Draft: Right from the beginning there were doubts. Not about the bat, but about the weight and drafting him that high. I believe his first year or two in the minors ended those thoughts and Jack Z was lauded for drafting him there.

 

Talent: I don't think anyone doubts his talents offensively. But would like more improvements defensively. But overall, talent is there. No one questions that.

 

Weight: It will always be something people watch with Prince. It was when he was drafted, it was last ST, it was with his father. I think the whole vegetarian thing wasn't so big of a deal, except that he changed his eating habits and then came into ST overweight. Probably would have done the same eating steak, but people see the two related... Also, because of his weight people wonder how long of a career he will have.

 

Money: Living in a small market with mostly blue collar type workers, I think people generally detest the "show me the money" attitude. Its not that they shouldn't get paid (or even the amount), but the attitude of it all. As others have said with last spring's contract extionsion offer, then complaining about the renewal, he displayed that attitude (I'll get mine). Braun's signing didn't help, since that showed the opposite attitude. Its not the $$, but the attitude about the money.

 

Agent: Who doesn't despise Boras? Why would good Prince deal with the prince agent of darkness? Plus its pretty obvious that the Brewers won't be able to afford him after arbitration is done.

 

For his baseball skills: a top 5 1B with potential for higher. People love that.

For his contract status: People realize he won't be here forever and don't like the attitude he has shown, so they cheer for him, but prepare for his departure (thus the trade rumors).

 

I like Prince and I think he will improve. But I also believe we will trade him in the next year, just because we can't afford to let him go for just draft picks (especially if we get CC-ed again).

[yount19.u]

Like it or not, Prince is the face of this franchise and the single reason why the Brewers are back on the national media's map. Braun is no doubt a star, but he's not a character in the sense that Prince is. Prince is quickly becoming one of the characters of the game like Manny, Jeter, Big Papi, and Pedro. What I mean by character is, combined with their star power and talent, these individuals all have qualities (good and bad, on and off the field) that draws fans to follow them more closely than other star players. They are simply more entertaining than the rest, and that puts butts in the seats. I think the Brewer's and their fans are incredibly fortunate to have Prince, given their small market status. He has certainly earned a lot of the criticisms over his short career for his on and off field flaws, but much of it has been unfairly amplified due to his star status. To answer the original question, I am a fan of Prince and feel that his negatives are easily outweighed (pun intended) by the positives he brings to the team and community.

[Tbadder]

I can see everyone's point who supports Prince; I've got no qualms with that. I just don't see it that way. I think his emotions are getting the best of him. I don't think he was as good last year as the year before, and I think he may already be in a decline because I don't think he respects his body.

 

The incident with Parra may just be boys being boys, but in the professional workplace I find unacceptable and in the end detrimental. Maybe it's not. Maybe treating people like that is okay under the guise of professional athletes.

 

On the other hand, as was pointed out earlier in this thread, I just might be stupid and I owe you all an apology for having an uninformed opinion.