Grange: Time to bite on Prince Fielder

[acemann]

I signed up, but I didn't know my name would be published. please change that.

[LBJSeizedMyID]

Should put this as its own thread.

[tempests_dawn]

Apologies for not putting a disclaimer.

Ive erased the last names, whil kepeping the first names. I think that'd be ok.

By the way, I have no idea who's who in the forum.

Again, apologies.

EDIT - I have a disclaimer on now. I hope ppl will read it and submit their data accordingly.

[Rhettmatic]

#FielderToJays
http://www.jaysfanswantfielder.com/

Please visit. Please spread the word. Here we go.

Really nice job man.

[SharoneWright]

Rangers likely out on Fielder:
http://espn.go.com/dallas/mlb/story/_/i ... rs-payroll

[TR50]

http://lostinabowlofminuterice.blogspot ... th-is.html

Posted it to my blog

[rarefind]

I really want Prince but if he somehow backfired this would be the first time ever that the fans could be blamed?

Personally, AA isn't going to be pressured to sign Prince unless he wants to though. Love the idea though and it is a matter of time until someone in the media publishes it.

[tempests_dawn]

Keep tweeting and mentioning the link!

Thanks guys for your support

And fyi, I've removed all last names fo rthose who submitted BEFORE the disclaimer. Again, apologies for the oversight

[Kapono]

Make a new thread to get more viewers to the site brag

[rarefind]

Make a new thread to get more viewers to the site brag

[U_Mad]

Marlins out of pujols....they'll throw loads of cash at Fielder

[lilneige]

A little bit off-topic, but does anybody feel that we need somebody at second base? If Fielder does or doesn't sign with us, is it still an issue?

with or with out Fielder, Jays need to get a starting second basemen AND a better rotation.

[reck0n3r]

A little bit off-topic, but does anybody feel that we need somebody at second base? If Fielder does or doesn't sign with us, is it still an issue?

with or with out Fielder, Jays need to get a starting second basemen AND a better rotation.

I'm not sure how I feel about this argument - that a team won't go anywhere without a better rotation, that it somehow qualifies as an excuse to not sign a top name free agent. That makes sense if the intent is to only sign him for a short term period (1-3 years or so), but they'd be in it for longer.

You could use the same argument for signing a top pitcher - that there's not enough power in the batting lineup, so there's no point. Or that signing a top flight pitcher wont help if the bullpen sucks, etc etc. Hell we might as well trade Bautista for some more prospects while we're at it.

You should add good pieces as they become available, and in an era where the red sox and the yankees pretty much gobble up every big name free agent, for the jays to pass on a name like fielder at a time when they're not throwing their cash all over the place, tells me a lot. In the past I'd pretty much ignore any big name free agent whenever I saw the yankees/bosox name thrown into the mix.

Though it seems the issue isn't exactly the money, per se, it's the length of the contract. Apparently Prince wants a 10 year, and AA doesn't want to go more than 5. Why not compromise and go for 7 or 8 years? that'd keep him here till he's 34-35. Maybe tack on some performance/games played bonuses (do they still do that?).

They seem to have a pretty strong farm system as well...get drabek back to where he should be. It just does seem like good timing for this. Trading Lind and/or prospects to get back a strong 2 guy in the starting rotation isn't out of the question either, depending on how quickly they want to make a splash and who is available.

Also to go with AA's comment:

“(Paul Beeston) abhorred the fact that we received any revenue sharing money because he knows what we can be and where we can go and the upside. He feels we should ultimately be one of the teams that should be paying into it. We are a large market club. The CBA has shown that, we know that, and I think everyone is starting to realize that we’re absolutely a large market club. We’re not there yet in terms of tapping into our potential and that’s because the product is not as good as it needs to be.

And I don't see why they WOULDN'T go after fielder.