MLB 2011!!

[OzzyKP]

Oh, admit it, if ANY other team had signed Fielder to this contract you would have slammed them .

Haha, no doubt.

I was supportive of the Angels getting Pujols though.

Fielder is no Pujols though.

But I'm just fine with two almost Pujols'.

[OzzyKP]

Also, unlike Hanley Ramirez, it looks like Cabrera is fine moving over to 3B.

[Imran Siddiqui]

The problem is that with Prince's body weight, he's going to decline very quickly. The closest analogy is Mo Vaughan. It's an "almost Pujols" for a very short amount of time - oh, and Pujols was good defensively as well .

[OzzyKP]

Eh, I dunno. I'll leave the stats to you, but I don't think Mo Vaughn was ever as good as Fielder.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Vaughan, due to his later years was decidedly underrated. Not as good as Fielder, but fairly close (recall Vaughn was an average fielding 1B, while Fielder is pretty bad):

Fielder's OPS+:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/fieldpr01.shtml

97 (age 21)
110
157
130
166
135
164 (age 27) - signed with DET

Mo Vaughn OPS+

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vaughmo01.shtml

93 (age 23)
98
139
146
144
150
152
153 (age 30) - signed with ANA
119
115 (age 32)
113 (age 34) - traded to NYM
73

[SlowwHand]

A-Rod's rape of the Rangers made them decidedly smarter about future contracts.

[OzzyKP]

Never mind the shirt. Or the pants. But he's coming home!!!

[OzzyKP]

Considering Prince is 5 years younger than Pujols, and his contract one year less, I think Detroit will be stronger a decade from now then the Angels. Plus, as much money as this is, salaries keep going up and up. In 5 years $24/year isn't going to look that unusual for a top player like Fielder.

[OzzyKP]

[SlowwHand]

Considering Prince is 5 years younger than Pujols, and his contract one year less, I think Detroit will be stronger a decade from now then the Angels. Plus, as much money as this is, salaries keep going up and up. In 5 years $24/year isn't going to look that unusual for a top player like Fielder.

That's not really a good analogy. It is what it is, now; just like what it will be is then. That's like griping about paying more for a beer now than in 1885.

[-Jrabbit]

In 5 years $24/year isn't going to look that unusual for a top player like Fielder.

That was the common refrain with A-Rod's big score. That was 10 years/$252MM and was signed, what, 10 years ago? Since then, only A-Rod's 2007 upgrade and Pujols a few weeks ago have surpassed that first contract in annual salary.

Today, grand total, there have been 11 $20MM/yr. contracts. Ever. Two of those are A-Rod, two are Manny Ramirez, and two more of them are Yankees (Sabathia, Texiera). Now think about how baseball economics has been trending over that time.

Guess what: $20 miilion is STILL an uncommon number, and it's likely to stay that way.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Considering Prince is 5 years younger than Pujols, and his contract one year less, I think Detroit will be stronger a decade from now then the Angels. Plus, as much money as this is, salaries keep going up and up. In 5 years $24/year isn't going to look that unusual for a top player like Fielder.

What JRabbit said. Salaries have not gone up and up. Instead they actually went down for the most part after the excess of A-Rod's first contract. It was only surpased by Pujols, who, you know, may be one of the Top 5 Players in History when all is said and done.

And Pujols is not a fat player. As I said, steep downward declines hit fat players MUCH greater than those who are fit. Pujols could well be valuable when he's 38. Fielder will fall well short.

[OzzyKP]

http://www.freep.com/article/20120125/SPORTS02/120125059/Justin-Verlander-Tigers-lineup-wouldn-t-want-face-

Also today, MGM Resorts International updated its odds to win the World Series:

Tigers 4-1

Angels 5-1

Phillies 11-2

Cubs 6-1

Red Sox 6-1

*The Tigers were 7-1 on Monday



(no idea what's up with the Cubs, but obviously the odds makers are feeling pretty damn good about the Fielder pick up).

[OzzyKP]

Also, as far as the Mo Vaughn comparison, I think there is a big difference as far as consistency and durability. Over their first six full seasons Prince averaged 160 games per season (virtually perfect) while Mo averaged 136. I see no reason to think he won't be a Frank Thomas or Jim Thome in his mid-30's.

[rah]

Cubs 6-1 UNBELIEVABLE.

I know a lot of this due to stupid Cubs fans putting money on it, BUT COME ON.