Sullivan: Fielder casting big shadow over the Rangers

T.R. Sullivan looks at how questions about the Rangers' interest in Prince Fielder still hang over the club, and harkens back to the team's pursuit of Chan Ho Park and Barry Zito in years past.

4 months ago Adam J. Morris 30 comments 0 recs |

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This is a stretch

He was an owner who could do no wrong and he was also backed by a new local television deal that was going to fund all these big contracts. Presumably that would have included Zito.

Instead, as the English statesman said before the start of World War I, the lights went out all over the continent of Europe and were not re-lit for a long time. The Rangers thought they were at the beginning of a “magical time” but instead were plunged into the darkness of eight losing seasons in nine years that propelled them toward infamous bankruptcy.

Things are quite a bit different now than then…

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by Josh Lile on Jan 23, 2012 10:26 AM CST reply actions

yep

2 straight world series performances. We have a different team, and we are trying to stay on top with our eyes to the future where there are virtually no impact bats available

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.

by NothinG on Jan 23, 2012 10:43 AM CST up reply actions

gettin awful ripe

by SteveP on Jan 23, 2012 10:58 AM CST reply actions

I wish Fielder would just make up his freaking mind so we wouldn't have to see all these baseless rumors

and rampant speculation all the time.

by MikeEl on Jan 23, 2012 12:23 PM CST reply actions

Boras prolly fingers himself to all this attention

plus, he’s waiting for some moran Owner/GM to go 8 years

by Baseball North on Jan 23, 2012 12:25 PM CST up reply actions

Nats

They are supposedly offering 7 years with an opt out after the 3rd season. Nice to be the Prince.

Most arguments are really about context.

by SheaWasBettor21 on Jan 23, 2012 12:26 PM CST up reply actions

I'd do 7/140

by Jobu. on Jan 23, 2012 12:32 PM CST up reply actions

really? so for ages 27-33, not overly bad

would the princess want an opt-out clause?

by Baseball North on Jan 23, 2012 12:33 PM CST up reply actions

27 - 34, technically his last season would be 33/34

He’d probably need an opt out. I’m less concerned about than many. When you have a player in the upper echelon of salary, there is less room for an opt out to hurt you, imo.

by Jobu. on Jan 23, 2012 12:37 PM CST up reply actions

true, the opt-out option could benefit both sides

if you spread the $140 out like: 10, 17, 17, 24, 24, 24, 24. Then if he does opt out after 3, he gets his $180 mil or so and the Rangers get 3 huge seasons for $44 mil total

by Baseball North on Jan 23, 2012 12:43 PM CST up reply actions

Motivation

And it keeps the player motivated. I heart opt outs.

Most arguments are really about context.

by SheaWasBettor21 on Jan 23, 2012 12:46 PM CST up reply actions

Player opt-outs are terrible for the team

by Adam J. Morris on Jan 23, 2012 12:47 PM CST up reply actions

And if he turns into Mo Vaughn, you're on the hook for $96 million

You take all the risk without the upside

by Adam J. Morris on Jan 23, 2012 12:48 PM CST up reply actions

you still have the risk with $140 total either way

but with backloading you get the added chance of a beneficial opt-out

by Baseball North on Jan 23, 2012 12:49 PM CST up reply actions

You only offer the opt-out with a contract you're already okay with signing

You limit the upside on the contract, but if it’s a high salary player, the upside is limited anyway

by Jobu. on Jan 23, 2012 12:54 PM CST up reply actions

Then why offer the contract?

by Adam J. Morris on Jan 23, 2012 1:01 PM CST up reply actions

because it's a short-term win now move?

and you don’t want fat players when they’re old?

Some see a glass half empty, some a glass half full. I see a glass that's twice as big as it needs to be. - George Carlin

by t ball on Jan 23, 2012 1:03 PM CST up reply actions

But if you don't want a fat player when they're old...

…then the opt-out doesn’t really help you, because if that’s where the player is when the opt-out rolls around, then you’re going to be stuck with him anyway.

by Adam J. Morris on Jan 23, 2012 1:06 PM CST up reply actions

he opts out and you let him go a year too soon rather than a year too late. Give him an opt out after three years. He’s likely to still be valuable in that 3rd year, but approaching the years when a drop-off is likely. He’s worth his deal while here but leaves before he’s a problem.

Normally, a player of Fielder’s caliber wouldn’t have to accept such risk on his part. But given the way his market seems to have dried up it might be an opportunity. This is a somewhat unusual circumstance.

You offer him a deal that the team can accept. If he takes it, great. If not, fine, you stick with what you have.

Some see a glass half empty, some a glass half full. I see a glass that's twice as big as it needs to be. - George Carlin

by t ball on Jan 23, 2012 1:17 PM CST up reply actions

I doubt he'd do the year 3 opt out with a backloaded contract, is the problem

And the Rangers need his 2012 salary to be as low as possible, if he’s to be signed (I assume, based on the hints the team has thrown out there).

by Jobu. on Jan 23, 2012 1:22 PM CST up reply actions

I'm not throwing out a real offer

I’m sure, though, that the Rangers have parameters they have in mind that will work. If Fielder accepts those parameters, he’ll be here. If not, he won’t.

I am not ready to assume the Rangers would not offer an opt-out contract, I’m also not ready to just assume they would only sign Fielder if his 2012 salary was really low. If the overall deal makes sense they will do it even if it makes 2012 payroll a little more uncomfortable.

Some see a glass half empty, some a glass half full. I see a glass that's twice as big as it needs to be. - George Carlin

by t ball on Jan 23, 2012 1:28 PM CST up reply actions

If you think he'll be worth his contract and then opt out

Then you’ve had a player that was worth his contract. You’re right that you aren’t able to trade him if he has excess value, because he’ll simply opt out.

It doesn’t change the fact that we had a good player added to our already championship-caliber team.

by Jobu. on Jan 23, 2012 1:10 PM CST up reply actions

In a heartbeat.

Most arguments are really about context.

by SheaWasBettor21 on Jan 23, 2012 12:41 PM CST up reply actions

Maybe, until he realizes he completely misjudged the market for his client

and is forced to take much less money.

by MikeEl on Jan 23, 2012 12:26 PM CST up reply actions

He prolly already realized that but still holding hope on a Werth-type mistake

I just hope he take a 1 year deal with Texas so he can become a UFA again next year with the Mets and Dodgers situation fixed

by Baseball North on Jan 23, 2012 12:30 PM CST up reply actions

I'm not sure Boras misjudged the market

It really is more bad timing then anything else.

by RangerMad on Jan 23, 2012 1:10 PM CST up reply actions

isn't that sort of the same thing?

Not exactly the same thing, but Boras should have foresight going into each off-season about what the marketplace will be like. Obviously, you can’t predict every variable out there, but he knew Pujols would get an insane deal. It’s pretty clear Boras has been banking on MLB teams being able to support two heart-attack contracts in one off-season a lot more than he has thought they could not. Maybe he’ll end up being right, who knows.

by Colonel Travis on Jan 23, 2012 2:13 PM CST up reply actions

Wait... is that a fat joke?

"...out of the shadows of unprecedented success, the sun shines down upon this team waiting to thrill anew." - ghostofErikThompson

by jam0152 on Jan 23, 2012 3:08 PM CST reply actions 5 recs

Quick non-formal poll

Assuming we could do it, would anyone here do either a 1/$30 or 2/$57.5 contract?Big impact the next year or two, he gets back into the market later when less bats are available, and we keep long term dollars to help with extensions for guys 3+ years out.

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by Eric Prince on Jan 23, 2012 3:14 PM CST reply actions