Prince Fielder: Your New Detroit Tiger

So, Detroit has been a city on the verge of collapse for some time now.  The city’s population has plunged some 25% in the last decade, but the Detroit Tigers have been doing just fine.  I’m not sure where they get all their money (Tigers attendance has been pretty much middle of the pack over the last decade), but since 2007 the Tigers have had a payroll of at least $95 Million.  Apparently, they just came up with a whole host of more money as they signed Prince Fielder to a 9 year, $214 million deal.  Giving Prince almost $24 Million per year will surely come back to bite the Tigers in their toe.  Fielder, though extremely talented scares me way too much to guarantee Prince until he’s 37.  The fit in Detroit also doesn’t make too much sense from a personnel standpoint.  Prince combines with Miguel Cabrera to make an interesting and expensive right/left combo of already overweight first basemen.  There was already talk that Cabrera may have to move to DH soon and Prince is projected longterm as a hitter only.  I don’t see where the Tigers have space on their roster for both those players come 2015.  Cabrera’s current contract runs out in 2015 when he’ll be 32.  He’ll be in line for another overpay for the services of a homerun hitter.

Furthermore, last winter, the Tigers signed Victor Martinez.  Though he won’t be able to play this year because of an ACL injury, V-Mart is still due $13 mil in 2013 and $12 Mil in 2014.  That’s three players who are pretty much designated hitters on the same roster for some $57 Mil.  That makes me nervous if I’m a Tigers fan.

I see a real down side to this deal.  Speed, athleticism, and defense.  You know how the Rays have been successful recently? Speed, athleticism, and Defense.  Every team has placed a premium on defense and speed recently.  There’s been a shift in the game in the post-steroid era and apparently the Detroit Tigers missed the memo. Cabrera, Fielder, Johnny Peralta, Brennan Boesch, Delmon Young, Brandon Inge, Magglio Ordonez and Alex Avila had a combined 14 steals in 2011. Their center fielder (Austin Jackson) had 22 steals which is good for T-25th in the Majors last year.  11 individual players had more steals than the Tigers projected starting lineup.

The Tigers, even with Prince Fielder really don’t scare me too much.  I feel like he’s signing up for another scenario similar to the one while he was in Milwaukee. He and another individual (Miggy in this case) carry the offense while the rest of the guys scuffle. It’s a formula that is proven not to work in the regular season or postseason. Milwaukee never won anything more than a single division title with Braun and Fielder manning their offense.  And they won exactly one playoff series.

I simply don’t get the deal.  Don’t get why they need Prince Fielder for the next 9 years.  Don’t get how he Miggy, and V-Mart will mesh.  Don’t get what why he got paid so much annually.  Don’t get the formula GM Dave Dombrowski is using in creating this team.  And the worst part is that I’m sure Jim Leyland has no idea either.

-Sean Morash