Grange: Time to bite on Prince Fielder

[Rhettmatic]

Grange argues pretty persuasively here. Given that some people around here -- myself included -- have complained that none of the Rogers-employed journalists have pressured the team to spend, I thought this was worth a thread.

Jays mods, of course, if you disagree, I won't argue!

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/2011/1 ... e_fielder/

Given the way the free agent market is stumbling along to this stage, Anthopoulos’ fastidious commitment to the long-term could hurt the franchise and may well test their fan base’s patience to the breaking point.

Are the Jays poised to contend for a division title? Are there still pieces to fall into place? No and yes.

But it’s easier to time yourself right out of contention than it is to time the market just right.

It’s easier to say you made a rich offer to a great player and he took less money to play at home in Los Angeles than it is to say: "Meh, we took a pass."

When, exactly, will the Jays have a chance – however slim – to sign a 27-year-old star with ties to the franchise without having to bid against the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox or Philadelphia Phillies who already have (cough) $459-million tied up in their respective (and older) first basemen?

And to have that shot when Fielder – who has finished in the top-five in MVP balloting three times in the past five years – isn’t even the best free agent first basemen on the market thanks to Albert Pujols?

Fielder will no doubt be expensive, but he’ll never be cheaper than he will be this winter.

A plan is great, everyone should have one, if only to know when the time is right to change it. But the Jays’ resistance to signing Fielder – or any other star free agent to contracts past six years – well, that’s too clever by half.

There's lots more at the link.

[LBJSeizedMyID]

I agree. You add Prince and you quite possibly have the deadliest lineup in baseball.

[rarefind]

Thank you.

[rarefind]

I agree. You add Prince and you quite possibly have the deadliest lineup in baseball.

I'm not sure who I would peg above us if we got Prince...

[kwamebargnani]

Rogers, be a man!

[Kapono]

Rogers is too **** cheap.

Prove me wrong you penny pinching bastards.

[vaff87]

This is a move the Jays have to make. How often do opportunities like this come around?

[tempests_dawn]

Someone should create a website to get current Rogers customers, who are also Jays fans, to pledge that if the Jays do not sign Fielder, they are taking their business to a competitor.

If there are 30K fans who pledge, with 2 services cancelled from Rogers (avg 120$/month), that's 43.2M per year.

Someone set it up

[rarefind]

Someone should create a website to get current Rogers customers, who are also Jays fans, to pledge that if the Jays do not sign Fielder, they are taking their business to a competitor.

If there are 30K fans who pledge, with 2 services cancelled from Rogers (avg 120$/month), that's 43.2M per year.

Someone set it up

that'll show em!

[tempests_dawn]

Grange's argument that Fielder isn't even the most expense 1B to sign this offseason is a first for me, and a totally valid one. Likewise with the argument that the big market teams will not be bidding against TOR on it.

If there's a time to make an impact in the offseason, this is it, and Fielder is the player.

[JunkYardSubs]

Needs to happen.

Needs to

[torontoaces04]

Someone should create a website to get current Rogers customers, who are also Jays fans, to pledge that if the Jays do not sign Fielder, they are taking their business to a competitor.

If there are 30K fans who pledge, with 2 services cancelled from Rogers (avg 120$/month), that's 43.2M per year.

Someone set it up

that'll show em!

i'll get on it. give me a couple weeks.

[tempests_dawn]

Someone should create a website to get current Rogers customers, who are also Jays fans, to pledge that if the Jays do not sign Fielder, they are taking their business to a competitor.

If there are 30K fans who pledge, with 2 services cancelled from Rogers (avg 120$/month), that's 43.2M per year.

Someone set it up

that'll show em!

i'll get on it. give me a couple weeks.

I can set it up tonight if there's enough interest from ppl in the forum to see it happen.

EDIT: we don't have a couple of weeks Just emphasizing on the urgency of this...haha

[Double Helix]

Like I said, AA reminds me of that young, tight poker player that knows all the pre-flop odds and is folding constantly, waiting for the perfect two cards to start with. It's a fine way to keep playing within a limited budget and by not going all-in too often he'll outlast some who would otherwise fall but at a certain point we have to go all-in and it's hard to imagine a better set of circumstances coming together than right about now.

Let's build some optimism, increase attendance and then take one of the new wild card opportunities. It's all about momentum at this point and casual fans don't want to see that momentum slowing down. They want it to pick up in pace. You're either rebuilding or you're not and we're at a point now where I think we're ready to start arming up.

Prospects are great but we don't want to be the LA Clippers of baseball either.

[tempests_dawn]

What's a good domain name guys?

jaysfanswantfielder.com

fieldertotoronto.com

torontofanswantfielder.com ?

[Double Helix]

Someone should create a website to get current Rogers customers, who are also Jays fans, to pledge that if the Jays do not sign Fielder, they are taking their business to a competitor.

If there are 30K fans who pledge, with 2 services cancelled from Rogers (avg 120$/month), that's 43.2M per year.

Someone set it up

that'll show em!

i'll get on it. give me a couple weeks.

From somebody that has to deal with payroll on a much smaller scale, I wouldn't suggest threats. The best way to ever convince anybody ever to spend money when they don't want to isn't to threaten them. Nobody wants to negotiate or spend on payroll based on threats. You have to convince them that it's a no brainer-- It's an opportunity that doesn't come often and shouldn't be missed because of how much money it would bring in. If you honestly want to build a site, and I would encourage you to do so, I'd go the positive route also send out some press releases to media members. Keep it closer to a "Bring the franchise to _____city____ campaigns. Have a clear objective and convincing argument on why the time is now to spend money on a player like Fielder. Have a sign up pledge about purchasing Fielder jerseys and tickets IF the Jays spend money on Fielder. That kind of approach would at least help spur on the whole... "If you build it... they will come" debate. It gives Rogers and media types something to think about in a positive way. Fans want something to be excited about and if some money is spent they'll spend some money too.

[TorontoJock]

I have three Rogers services and will sign the petition.

fieldertotoronto.com is my vote

[-MetA4-]

Like I said, AA reminds me of that young, tight poker player that knows all the pre-flop odds and is folding constantly, waiting for the perfect two cards to start with.

Except that this isn't an accurate analogy at all. In the short time he has been here he has made multiple high-impact trades: acquisition of Escobar, Marcum for Lawrie, acquisition of Rasmus, and now Molina for Santos. You could also include Napoli for Francisco in the group. What other GM in baseball has made as many impact-quality trades? Sure, he might be "waiting for the right timing", but he's not sitting there "waiting for the perfect two cards". Making a significant trade is no different than making a significant free agent signing.

[tempests_dawn]

I wouldn't suggest threats. Nobody wants to negotiate or spend on payroll based on threats. If you honestly want to build a site, and I would encourage you to do so and also send out some press releases to that media members can perhaps write about it, I'd suggest going more the positive route, similar to those expansion/bring the team back campaigns. Keep it positive and have a clear objective and convincing argument on why the time is now to spend money on a player like Fielder. Make the drive more about new fans agreeing to purchase tickets (more if they're pre-existing owners) IF the Jays spend on a player like Fielder.

That kind of approach would at least help spur on the whole... "If you build it... they will come" debate.

I totally understand where you're coming from. I was thinking abotu the positive approach too. But I think the Jays, or any sports team, will expect a spike in attendance anyway with a big FA signing - website or no website. However, teams also expect ppl to not withdraw interest/money if the team maintains the status quo.

EDIT: it's the same idea as the movement in the US where people are transferring/closing bank accounts from the bigger banks who got bailout money to credit unions or smaller local banks.

[s e n s i]

rogers is my wireless provider and i will also sign the petition. i have been contemplating buying out the remainder of my contract anyway, because my wireless bill is unnecessarily absurd. it's about time these bean countin schmucks opened up their wallets.

make it happen TD...this thing would make it's rounds on the interwebs like wildfire