Prince's Future

[Tedaldtada]

Are we even disagreeing?

 

I will say that Prince has more pull then you think. Fans remember his Dad. Fans remember the derby. And lastly, fans remember 50 homers.

[twobrewers]

Prince has a sore hand apparently...probably due to banging out concrete and wood in the dugout after a bad AB.

I can't believe Prince is just getting a pass on this.

 

Prince hasn't taken batting practice in two days because of his hand. Hurting yourself because you were angry is just stupid. I love passion. But stupidity should not be applauded as passion.

[endaround]

Umm, nobody took batting practice yesterday.

[bklynbrewcrew]

I think the time has come to make a final decision on Prince. I dont think there is any chance to sign him so we should just make our last ditch effort and if Prince says no its time to trade him. This team is just not good enough to make the playoffs and the longer we hold on to Prince the less we will receive in return for him. With close to 2 years remaining we can still get a nice return for Prince. We should target a desperate team like Texas and see if we can get Smoak and/or Martin Perez as part of a deal for Prince. Nolan Ryan has stated that he thinks his team should win 90 games and maybe with their slow start they would make a move for Prince. I just dont see us being contenders and I would hate to recieve 2 draft picks for a player of Prince's caliber. Its one thing to receive picks for a guy like Linebrink but we need to aim much higher for a player like Prince. I also want to see Melvin trade for high upside guys like Smoak vs 3 or 4 low ceiling major league ready players.

[Invader3K]

Does anyone else find it odd that we haven't heard anything about the Fielder negotiations lately? I think most of us are of the opinion that the Brewers simply won't be able to get a deal done (or maybe shouldn't if it's going to take more than a Ryan Howard type deal). I know Boras and Melvin apparently agreed to be tight lipped about these extension talks, but it seems odd that we haven't heard really anything leak out so far. Does that mean the talks have reached an impasse already?

[RockCoCougars]

First, I offer Fielder 5 years/$126 million, which is symbolically more than Howard got. If he doesn't bite, things are looking like the Brewers may very well be sellers at the deadline this year, so I think that you have to maximize his value and move him then. I'm just not sure that I want Melvin making the trade- his record on trades hasn't been very good since, well the Sexson trade, I guess- which in retrospect now really only looks good because Sexson fell off the face of the earth so quickly. I'm not sure if I want some interim lame duck GM doing the trade either though.

[Invader3K]

his record on trades hasn't been very good since, well the Sexson trade,

 

This just isn't true. I know people are down on Melvin after last season (and so far this year), but we need to quit acting like he's completely incompetent when it comes to making trades. It would be very hard to not get a decent amount of value back for a year and a half of Fielder, assuming there are at least a couple teams interested.

[Funketown]

Umm, nobody took batting practice yesterday.

Jason Kendall did.

[JohnBriggs12]

his record on trades hasn't been very good since, well the Sexson trade,

 

This just isn't true. I know people are down on Melvin after last season (and so far this year), but we need to quit acting like he's completely incompetent when it comes to making trades. It would be very hard to not get a decent amount of value back for a year and a half of Fielder, assuming there are at least a couple teams interested.

Assuming there's any team interested is a big assumption much less two. I'll buy that Boston would have interest and they have the means. But they'd go away too if they got Gonzales. Who else has both the means to sign him and the need? The White Sox maybe though I don't see the Sox as a team willing to pay Fielder long term.. Possibly the Mets if Ike Davis fails and they feel the need to make a big splash. The Angels figure to have a need at DH after this year, but they can probably get one for a lot less.

 

If Fielder falls back to .275/.375/.525 type season with 32 HR and 100 RBI (and he's got to get moving to even get there), those aren't $25 million a year numbers for a 1B. Those aren't even $20 million a year numbers. There's big pressure on Prince right now. If he doesn't start hitting fairly soon, he's going to cost himself $10's of millions.

[monty57]

But they'd go away too if they got Gonzales.

 

Which is why I'm rooting hard for San Diego to stay in first place, or at least in the playoff hunt. If Boston's in third place behind Tampa and the Yankees, and Gonzales is off the market, they could make a push for Fielder. You also left off Tampa, who could really use Fielder and then flip him in the offseason and Baltimore and Texas, who have been brought up a number of times.

 

I agree that he's not playing like a $25MM player so far this year. I think the contract talks (Boras saying he's asking for $200MM) has to be getting to him some, but he'll come around. However, this does validate why the Brewers can't commit that much money to one player. They can't win with Prince and some talent around him, so they certainly couldn't win with Prince and less talent around him. Prince is just one person. If he's asking more than the Brewers can afford without hampering the team, then he has to be traded. I think trading him soon will net them the best return. Melvin should do the opposite of what he did with CC... make the trade a month or so prior to trade deadline so the receiving team will have him longer and therefore will give up more for him.

[sheethead]

Not only is Prince not playing like a $25MM per year player, he simply isn't a $25MM per year player. I don't think he is even a $20MM a year player. $17-18MM seems reasonable, especially considering his bad defense.

[thebruce44]

In my opinion, there are only 2 $25 mil/yr players in baseball. Howard and Prince are not one of them.

[sheethead]

Pujols and A-Rod?

[GormanHarvey]

thebruce - is your avatar a t-shirt that can be found somewhere? Its awesome

[Baldkin]

In his sig is the link.

[thebruce44]

thebruce - is your avatar a t-shirt that can be found somewhere? Its awesome

 

Yea, in my signature. The guys that do the Wolf Pack at all the home games wear them too along with masks. Its pretty awesome.

 

Pujols and A-Rod?

 

In my opinion, yes. I don't think anyone else should be making more than that. You could make a case for Mauer I guess, but health and a possible position change doom him over a long contract in my mind.

[FVBrewerFan]

Sabathia, Lincecum...guys like that are worth $25MM as well. You're telling me Sabathia/Gallardo/Wolf wouldn't instantly give the Brewers the look and feel of a contender? Not an ideal #3 there, but at least you're in the fight.

[Invader3K]

Sabathia, Lincecum...guys like that are worth $25MM as well. You're telling me Sabathia/Gallardo/Wolf wouldn't instantly give the Brewers the look and feel of a contender? Not an ideal #3 there, but at least you're in the fight.

That would be an excellent playoff rotation. Wolf is actually pretty much the definition of a #3 pitcher. It's really too bad we couldn't keep C.C.

 

*sniff*

[thebruce44]

Sabathia, Lincecum...guys like that are worth $25MM as well. You're telling me Sabathia/Gallardo/Wolf wouldn't instantly give the Brewers the look and feel of a contender? Not an ideal #3 there, but at least you're in the fight.

 

Then why did Sabathia just sign a contract for $23 mil per that blew every other offer out of the water? I don't think any pitcher is worth a long term $25 mil per contract at this time.

[sheethead]

Purely speculation from my standpoint, but someone on the JSOnline blog is stating the "Brewers' official offer to Prince (from the same unimpeachable source that gave you Ryan Braun and Randy Wolf) is for 6 years, $109m, with a club/vesting option for year 7 at $19m. Full no-trade clause."

[bklynbrewcrew]

I hope he turns that offer down. With his body type I dont really want to commit that kind of money to Prince. With Boras as his agent and following the Howard deal I would think its almost certain that Prince wouldnt take it unless he went on his own and defied his agent.

[NievesNoNO]

That would actually seem to be a fair deal for both sides. The only thing that would bother me is the full no-trade clause.

[TooLiveBrew]

That's not a bad contract offer, but the Howard contract might have ruined any shot the Brewers have at getting Prince to sign that deal. 5/$125M blows 6/109$M out of the water.

[WisconsinSportsRule]

That would actually seem to be a fair deal for both sides. The only thing that would bother me is the full no-trade clause.

That's probably one of those things that shaves $$ off the contract, and I'm not so sure I like that either, but I would sign him to this deal. I just wouldn't go much higher.

[Invader3K]

That's not a bad contract offer, but the Howard contract might have ruined any shot the Brewers have at getting Prince to sign that deal. 5/$125M blows 6/109$M out of the water.

I agree with this sentiment. I just don't think there is any way Boras/Fielder accept it at this point, unless Fielder "goes on his own" as has been suggested.