Prince wants to stay

[paul253]

I just hope whoever he signs with isn't in the lower half of the standings. They really need that extra first round pick. Multiple first round picks in back to back drafts is a good way to restock the system.

[bucksman4]

I can't fault Prince for wanting to "get paid" in free agency. Brewers offered him a respectable $100+ million extension and he declined, so there should be no hard feelings from his end when the Brewers make a much lower offer than he'd hope and possibly expect at year's end.

 

The bottom line is I know deep down he would want to stay a Brewer. He's not blind -- all of his buddies he's come up with in the system are inked to long-term deals and he surely sees this as a team that will compete for the next few years. He knows the owner is committed to putting a winning team on the field and seems to have a man-crush on Roenicke as I read seemingly everyday in the JS about how much respect he has for this guy as a manager just one month into his first season with the club.

 

I don't see him getting boo'd when he comes back to Miller Park in years to come as a visiting player -- however, that's assuming he's not a Cub or Cardinal. If that's the case, booing should be heard all the way to Appleton.

[monkeyman343434]

I can't fault Prince for wanting to "get paid" in free agency. Brewers offered him a respectable $100+ million extension and he declined, so there should be no hard feelings from his end when the Brewers make a much lower offer than he'd hope and possibly expect at year's end.

 

The bottom line is I know deep down he would want to stay a Brewer. He's not blind -- all of his buddies he's come up with in the system are inked to long-term deals and he surely sees this as a team that will compete for the next few years. He knows the owner is committed to putting a winning team on the field and seems to have a man-crush on Roenicke as I read seemingly everyday in the JS about how much respect he has for this guy as a manager just one month into his first season with the club.

 

I don't see him getting boo'd when he comes back to Miller Park in years to come as a visiting player -- however, that's assuming he's not a Cub or Cardinal. If that's the case, booing should be heard all the way to Appleton.

Dream scenario: The Cubs finish with the 16th pick for the 2012 draft, then Prince signs for 8/160 + with the Cubs.

How sweet would that be to take the best available pick away from the Cubs, while they take on another awful contract. See: Soriano, Alfonso; Zambrano, Carlos; Ramirez, Aramis; Fukudome, Kosuke.

 

 

[joepepsi]

I don't see him getting boo'd when he comes back to Miller Park in years to come as a visiting player -- however, that's assuming he's not a Cub or Cardinal. If that's the case, booing should be heard all the way to Appleton.

I will never boo the guy. In all my years of watching baseball, I've seen very few players who play as hard or get as much enjoyment out of the game as Prince. I guess a few years back he got a little surly about a contract renewal, but otherwise this guy is a joy to watch. He's a special player at the plate, a very smart hitter. He's not a great defensive player, but it's not because he's lazy or stupid, or doesn't care; it's due to his own physical limitations. Watching him leg out that triple yesterday just made me laugh. The guy is the heart and soul of this generation of Brewers. Despite what La Russa says about how the game should be played, this is one of the most fun teams to watch in the game today, or maybe in generations. Prince has had a lot to do with that.

 

I know he won't be back, and it's probably not in the organization's best interest to try and bring him back, but more than any other person in the last decade he's made Brewer baseball fun and relevant. No matter what happens next, Brewer fans should always honor this legacy.

[1992casey]

I guess a few years back he got a little surly about a contract renewal…

 

He wasn't even surly. If a player's contract is renewed unilaterally, it's unreasonable to expect that he should be happy about it. He answered a direct question with a direct answer that stated the obvious.

[YoungGeezy]

I can't fault Prince for wanting to "get paid" in free agency. Brewers offered him a respectable $100+ million extension and he declined, so there should be no hard feelings from his end when the Brewers make a much lower offer than he'd hope and possibly expect at year's end.

 

The bottom line is I know deep down he would want to stay a Brewer. He's not blind -- all of his buddies he's come up with in the system are inked to long-term deals and he surely sees this as a team that will compete for the next few years. He knows the owner is committed to putting a winning team on the field and seems to have a man-crush on Roenicke as I read seemingly everyday in the JS about how much respect he has for this guy as a manager just one month into his first season with the club.

 

I don't see him getting boo'd when he comes back to Miller Park in years to come as a visiting player -- however, that's assuming he's not a Cub or Cardinal. If that's the case, booing should be heard all the way to Appleton.

Dream scenario: The Cubs finish with the 16th pick for the 2012 draft, then Prince signs for 8/160 + with the Cubs.

How sweet would that be to take the best available pick away from the Cubs, while they take on another awful contract. See: Soriano, Alfonso; Zambrano, Carlos; Ramirez, Aramis; Fukudome, Kosuke.

 

Awful. I don't care how bad the contact is or the pick we'd get from them, Prince is still hitting his prime and very damn good player. I much prefer him NOT being in our division where he can lights up a large amount of times in a season. Angels with a 16-25 pick sounds great to me

[bucksman4]

I don't see him getting boo'd when he comes back to Miller Park in years to come as a visiting player -- however, that's assuming he's not a Cub or Cardinal. If that's the case, booing should be heard all the way to Appleton.

I will never boo the guy. In all my years of watching baseball, I've seen very few players who play as hard or get as much enjoyment out of the game as Prince. I guess a few years back he got a little surly about a contract renewal, but otherwise this guy is a joy to watch. He's a special player at the plate, a very smart hitter. His not a great defensive player, but it's not because he's lazy or doesn't care; it's more related to his own physical limitations. Watching him leg out that triple yesterday just made me laugh. The guy is the heart and soul of this generation of Brewers.

 

I know he won't be back, and it's probably not in the organization's best interest to try and bring him back, but more than any other person in the last decade he's made Brewer baseball fun and relevant. No matter what happens next, Brewer fans should always honor this legacy.

My point is is Brett Favre who won a Super Bowl for Green Bay came back to Lambeau Field and got boo'd by the faithful as an opponent from a rival team, Prince Fielder who never won anything outside of one playoff game for the Brewers will surely get boo'd as a NL Central rival. No doubt about it.

[Ennder]

There was a bit more to the Favre situation than just him being on a rival though.

[bucksman4]

There was a bit more to the Favre situation than just him being on a rival though.

I know the pulse of the fans of Milwaukee and Wisconsin. Blue-collared workers see a fat, out of shape looking guy who can only hit a baseball turning down $100 million and then bolting to the hated Chicago Cubs, I'm betting every dollar in my bank account that he's getting boo'd out of Miller Park when he comes back. The rosy fans who want to appreciate all that he's done for the Brewers (which has been what?) will cheer and that's fine, but trust me, they'll be drowned out by plenty of boos.

[greeg35]

As a Brewers fan, I hope you are wrong. We drafted Prince knowing (or at least we should have known) that if he did well things would go this way. Its the only way Boras operates and players choose him for a reason. Prince gave us his all while he was here and never made any false promises about staying around unless he would get paid like he would on the open market. He's got his own reasons for handling his contracts like he has, and that is his right. It may not be what many of us want him to choose or think we would choose; but I don't begrudge him that. At the risk of sounding like a St Louisan, I would hope Wisconsin is classier than that.

I really really really hope he does not end up a Cub.

[bucksman4]

As a Brewers fan, I hope you are wrong. We drafted Prince knowing (or at least we should have known) that if he did well things would go this way. Its the only way Boras operates and players choose him for a reason. Prince gave us his all while he was here and never made any false promises about staying around unless he would get paid like he would on the open market. He's got his own reasons for handling his contracts like he has, and that is his right. It may not be what many of us want him to choose or think we would choose; but I don't begrudge him that. At the risk of sounding like a St Louisan, I would hope Wisconsin is classier than that.

I really really really hope he does not end up a Cub.

I agree with most of what you said. It is his right and I do not fault him for that either because I believe in having the same autonomy when it comes to seeking employment that may better myself and my family as well. However, I do believe you put that last sentence/paragraph in there for one reason: because you fear that if he's wearing Cubbie blue pinstripes, my theory will be ultimately correct and he will be showered with boos.

I would boo him if he ends up a Cub. Why? Because he's on my bitter rival's team. I despise the Cubs and the "Wrigley faithful" so why wouldn't I boo him like I would Zambrano, Soriano, Ramirez or any other Cub?

[pitchleague]

Would Sabathia get booed when/if he returns to Miller Park? I highly doubt it. Sure, there will be some boos amidst the hoopla, but the majority will be cheers. At least at first. Following that game, the love affair might be over.

 

I anticipate it the same way with Prince. There will be boos, no doubt. But the cheers will out-voice the boos for at least the first game/series at Miller Park. After that, it may be reversed.

[The Truth]

Wow, it seems pretty obvious to me, but of course if Fielder signs with the Cubs he'll be booed mercilessly at Miller Park.

[yoshii8]

bucksman4 wrote The rosy fans who want to appreciate all that he's done for the Brewers (which has been what?)

Well besides 5+ seasons w/ almost 200 Hr's and a .923 OPS, being the youngest player ever to 50 home runs in a season, leading them to their first playoff birth since 1982, being a 2 time all star, and winning the home run derby, I guess not much.

 

Fielder has been an outstanding player who has been great to watch, and I think many more people will realize that than you think. I still am hoping that he stays in Milwaukee, but if not I will still be a lifelong fan of the guy on and off the field.

[greeg35]

However, I do believe you put that last sentence/paragraph in there for one reason: because you fear that if he's wearing Cubbie blue pinstripes, my theory will be ultimately correct and he will be showered with boos.

 

 

Nope. There are actually three reasons I put that statement in there: 1) he is my favorite Brewer of all time and I don't want him to leave 2) the cubs are my least favorite team of all time and of all places I don't want him to go there, and 3) He will make the cubs better. I said I HOPE you are wrong, not that I think you are. People booing him will just make me think they are idiots. Unfortunately the least classy among us are often the loudest voices.

Personally, I've only ever booed one ex-brewer and that is Sheffield because he admitted to making errors on purpose.

[owbc]

It makes the most sense for Prince to go to the AL, but it would be fun to see Prince in a Cubs uniform. It would add another great chapter to the Cubs/Brewers rivalry which has kind of grown sour lately.

 

If the Cubs do sign Prince, they will probably have a window of 2012-2013 and maybe 2014 where he will put up huge numbers and give them a chance at the World Series. Yes, it will be a "bad" contract by WAR/value calculations, but a large market team like the Cubs can get away with a few of those contracts--in fact, they should be overpaying for free agents since they have the money and need to keep them away from other big market teams.

 

The NL Central will be even more fun if both the Cardinals and Cubs are entertaining offers to Pujols and Fielder at the same time. Better to keep them in the division, if Brewers fans are going to keep turning out at 3,000,000 per year, fans will show up to see the Brewers' pitchers face these star rivals, not the AAA Pittsburgh Pirates.

 

And of course Prince will get booed--Ryan Braun is the hero and Fielder is the villain, that's just how it works.

[Ennder]

I don't know, Carlos Lee doesn't seem to get boos so it isn't like every former Brewer in the world does and he went to an NL Central team. I mean I'm sure some will boo because some people just are like that, but I don't think the majority will boo him anymore than they would any other Cub.

[yoshii8]

How much and how long of a contract would you be willing to give Prince Fielder? I would be willing to give him a 7 year deal worth around 150. His contract would expire around the age of 34. I think he brings a ton of revenue to the Brewers, and it would be nice to have Prince and Braun locked in the middle of our lineup for the next 7 years.

[bucksman4]

I wouldn't even submit an offer to him. It's in the Brewers best interest to move forward with contract extensions to Greinke and/or Marcum. We've seen this year that good pitching on a team is much more important than a stacked lineup (see 2010 results).

 

My belief is the Brewers will offer the same contract Prince/Boras declined last season just to say they submitted an offer, and then ultimately see him walk. From what I hear from Melvin these days, he's soured to negotiating with Boras' demands for Prince and realizes they're in 2 different stratospheres with what they believe he's truly worth.

 

Focus on pitching. SF did, and it won them a World Series. I look at their lineup still shaking my head as to how that squad could win a World Series. When your starting pitching gives up 2-3 runs per game max, you don't need 2 $100+ million hitters in your 3-4 spots. I think Doug realizes this too.

[Mudville9]

We could always explore the possibility with Greinke and/or Marcum (if it hasn't taken place already) to see what kind of numbers they are looking at. If it doesn't look like either is a possibility for an extention, I could see us extending a decent off to Prince this offseason.

[rluzinski]

It's in the Brewers best interest to move forward with contract extensions to Greinke and/or Marcum. We've seen this year that good pitching on a team is much more important than a stacked lineup (see 2010 results).

What does that mean, exactly? A run saved on defense is worth more than a run scored on offense? If it's the 6th run scored vs. the 4th run saved, sure. But a run is a run, otherwise.

As far as who the Brewers should go after, I guess you can make that argument that we already have a good idea what Fielder wants and know he won't be worth that to the Brewers. There's a decent chance that will be true with Greinke and Marcum as well, though.

[Thurston Fluff]

A run saved on defense is worth more than a run scored on offense? If it's the 6th run scored vs. the 4th run saved, sure. But a run is a run, otherwise.

 

Overall I agree but to be fair I think last year showed how an very unbalanced team isn't as good as it's sum total. I would rather have an average offense/defense and pitching than have one aspect top rated and others bottom feeders even if the sum total would be average out the same overall. I think that is where UQU's reasoning comes from.

[logan82]

Last year we have bad defense and bad pitching with a good offense. We got rid of the bad pitching this year and kept the bad offense. I don't think balancing things out matters as long as you can make up for it in other ways.

[Thurston Fluff]

How can the offense that scored the 10th most runs in baseball be considered bad?

[logan82]

How can the offense that scored the 10th most runs in baseball be considered bad?

Oops, should be kept the bad defense.