Please do not sign Fielder thread

[Hammer]

Preface: I have despised Fielder for several years. Those that know me on here probably remember my venom toward him after he attacked Manny Parra in the dugout. That said, teams like Milwaukee cannot blow 20% of their budget on one player. I know Attanasio said we will try to sign Fielder but it would be line-up suicide.

My thought: move Hart to 1b, sign Nick Swisher/Jason Kubel/Coco Crisp/Michael Cuddyer for Rf (Crisp being my favorite as he can leadoff), replace Yuni w/ a defensive whiz, give Green his shot and this team is better than it was with Prince.

 

Please...do not sign Prince.

[StearnsFTW]

I'm disappointed. I would've thought this thread would've been posted before that last pitch hit Molina's glove.

 

http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

I agree though. I don't despise him in any way, but we can't afford him.

[dlk9s]

http://i.imgur.com/Y9UCk.gif

 

 

[Invader3K]

If he wants to sign a team friendly deal, that's one thing...though that probably would have happened by now. This franchise simply can't afford to sign a first baseman to a market contract. It would just hinder things too much going forward.

[fondybrewfan]

Yeah he isn't coming back.

 

He will always have a place in my Brewers fandom but it is time to move on. I will always love the guy so long as he goes to the AL.

 

However count me as very skeptical that a team is going to break the bank on him. I just don't think he is going to get as much as people think. 5 years probably, 6 maybe, 7 no way in hell.

[brettac1]

All it takes is one stupid team to offer him that, though. I think he'll be an albatross after year three or so wherever he goes. And I'm a fan. It's been a fun time watching him, and the Brewers got his best years. All the better and good luck to the guy. I'm never going to hate him regardless of where he goes, though I'm not the type to hate guys who leave the Brewers unless I did already when he was a Brewer.

[JohnBriggs12]

Please don't extend Kevin Millwood er I mean Zach Greinke.

 

Fielder at the right price would be fine with me. He's not going to be easy to replace and this team isn't exactly an offensive juggernaut.

[clancyphile]

One question: If Fielder goes, who protects Ryan Braun?

[Funketown]

One question: If Fielder goes, who protects Ryan Braun?

Rickie Weeks and Corey Hart are reasonably good at making baseballs go far.

 

I think it's really important that the Brewers don't break the bank for Fielder, and instead go for a much more balanced lineup. Hart and Weeks are very good hitters, Green projects to be at least average. Maybe somebody like Carlos Pena could fill in at first if Gamel isn't going to be in the plans.

[RightFieldCoder]

brettac1 wrote:

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the Brewers got his best years.

I'm sure the Twins fans thought that about Ortiz.

Who was protecting Fielder all year? Protection is not that important over a 162 game schedule.

 

[brettac1]

brettac1 wrote:

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the Brewers got his best years.

I'm sure the Twins fans thought that about Ortiz.

Who was protecting Fielder all year? Protection is not that important over a 162 game schedule.

 

David Ortiz didn't sign for $150 million.

[CheezWizHed]

I'm pretty sure Ryan makes enough money to hire a body guard if he needs it.

 

The bigger question is who will Ryan box with after HRs?

[rluzinski]

Yeh, I'm not so sure Fielder has even peaked yet. That said, whomever pays for his best years will also have to pay for his declining ones as well. I'm fine with letting him walk but it's nothing personal.

[wisniewski]

I agree with Robin19, 'protection' is the most overrated concept in professional baseball. The protection theory has been disproven time and time again.

 

I don't dislike Prince, but that money is better spent elsewhere on this team. It's silly to tie up that kind of money in Prince. And I can't believe I am going to say this, (in fact, it kills me to say this) but all things being equal, Pujols represents better value for teams looking to spend similar money.

[JohnBriggs12]

One question: If Fielder goes, who protects Ryan Braun?

Rickie Weeks and Corey Hart are reasonably good at making baseballs go far.

 

I think it's really important that the Brewers don't break the bank for Fielder, and instead go for a much more balanced lineup. Hart and Weeks are very good hitters, Green projects to be at least average. Maybe somebody like Carlos Pena could fill in at first if Gamel isn't going to be in the plans.

Weeks and Hart are good hitters. Fielder is an elite hitter. Balanced lineups get you balanced teams, half wins, half losses. Elite hitters in the middle of your lineup get you into the postseason with middle of the pack pitching. The Cubs had a balanced lineup this year. Where did that get them?

[CheezWizHed]

Since none of us want to sign Fielder at 7yrs, $30M/year and all of us would take him at 5yrs $10M/year. How about this question:

 

How high would you go to sign Fielder?

[Eddiehitsthefoulpole]

My worry about re-signing Prince is that we may become the Rangers of about 10 years ago, with Arod. We may not be able to get enough pitching, or get the shortstop necessary to win big. If we re-signed Prince I think that Corey and/or Rickie would have to be moved in order to balance out our roster.

[paul253]

Rickie Weeks and Corey Hart are reasonably good at making baseballs go far.

Weeks and Hart have major flaws in their swings. I don't know if Weeks was still reeling from being hurt, but St. Louis absolutely exposed him this series. Yeah he hit two home runs, but until he's willing to go the other way on a consistent basis I can't see him being an effective 4 or 5 hitter. St. Louis pounded him away with fastballs and he just couldn't get away from trying to pull the ball.

Hart also has a tendency to swing and miss quite a bit. And for whatever reason he just isn't comfortable batting 5th. I think it's a huge waste of his power when he bats first.

 

As for Fielder. First off, let me say that I highly, highly doubt he will resign. But why not try this. Sign him to a 5 year deal. Trade Hart, which will save a bunch of money and replace him with Gamel. Trade Marcum to the White Sox for Escobar and replace him with either Peralta, Estrada, Fiers, or a veteran starter signed to a one year deal. This would also save money and allow Bentancourt to go. That would save even more money. You'd have to spend to upgrade the bench, ideally getting Hairston back. Third base would be a battle between McGehee and Green with the loser going to the bench. Sign a veteran right handed hitting outfielder as insurance for Gamel and then a solid late inning reliever. I'd be ok resigning Saito as the new 8th inning guy. The roster would be:

 

Outfielders: Braun, Morgan, Gamel, Gomez, FA

Infielders: McGehee, Green, Escobar, Hairston, Weeks, Fielder, Lucroy, Kottaras

Pitchers: Gallardo, Greinke, Wolf, Narveson, Peralta, Axford, Saito, Loe, Braddock, Parra, Estrada, Kintzler/McClendon/Defelice/FA

[umphrey]

Since none of us want to sign Fielder at 7yrs, $30M/year and all of us would take him at 5yrs $10M/year. How about this question:

 

How high would you go to sign Fielder?

I don't care much about the money per year. The most years I would give him is 4 though and that won't happen.

[burnzy24]

The Brewers also need to start acquiring average to above average fielding, which Fielder is not. Elite hitting gets you to the playoffs, but defense wins championships. And for those people who mentioned that Hart and Weeks were exposed in the playoffs, what about Fielder. In 14 post season games he is hitting .192.

[wisniewski]

My worry about re-signing Prince is that we may become the Rangers of about 10 years ago, with Arod. We may not be able to get enough pitching, or get the shortstop necessary to win big. If we re-signed Prince I think that Corey and/or Rickie would have to be moved in order to balance out our roster.

Or the Phillies, when Ryan Howard's extension kicks in this coming season. That contract was flat out immovable even before the achilles injury. Now, they'll eat every bite of it.

[umphrey]

The Brewers also need to start acquiring average to above average fielding, which Fielder is not. Elite hitting gets you to the playoffs, but defense wins championships. And for those people who mentioned that Hart and Weeks were exposed in the playoffs, what about Fielder. In 14 post season games he is hitting .192.

Come on now you can't simplify any sport like this. If it WAS possible, the answer is obviously not defense looking at the last 4 teams standing this year, Milwaukee STL Texas Detroit.

[burnzy24]

Come on now you can't simplify any sport like this. If it WAS possible, the answer is obviously not defense looking at the last 4 teams standing this year, Milwaukee STL Texas Detroit.

Well looking at this series, the Carpenter game and the second Greinke game were winnable games that we let slip away due to poor defense. I know errors don't tell the whole story but how many errors did St. Louis have? In the regular season if your offense is that good you can hit your way past bad D. In the playoffs, you are facing the pitchers like Kennedy, Carpenter, Garcia, and deep bullpens like St. Louis has. Our D is a huge reason of not the reason we are not playing anymore.

[kramnoj]

That said, teams like Milwaukee cannot blow 20% of their budget on one player.

 

The 2007 Rockies paid Helton 30% of their salary when they made the World Series in 2007.

My worry about re-signing Prince is that we may become the Rangers of about 10 years ago, with Arod. We may not be able to get enough pitching, or get the shortstop necessary to win big.

 

Arod wasn't the problem. Paying Chan Ho Park millions for his lack of production was a problem.

[DuWayne Steurer]

My heart says go for it, my brain says don't. Decisions made based on gut feelings or 'heart', are usually wrong decisions.

 

Having Fielder back would be great, but like others have said, the downside is the last 3-4 years where Fielders creeping towards his mid-30's and getting paid A-Rod money to play like Carlos Lee.