The Brewers avoided arbitration with Prince Fielder on a one-year deal, the team announced. It's a $15.5MM contract, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter link). Agent Scott Boras represents the powerful first baseman, who will hit free agency after the season.
The deal makes Fielder the highest-paid Brewer in history, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (on Twitter). Heyman has the details on the contract (Twitter link).
Wow, I would have gone to arbitration. He’s gone in 2012 anyway, no worries about pissing him off. Ryan Howard only got $10m in 2008.
2008 was Howard’s first year of arbitration eligibility, this covers Fielder’s third. Howard signed an extension before his 3rd year, but ended up getting $19m for what would have been his third year.
He’ll be gone by July if the Brewers are out of the race..Or at least not in 2nd.. the Reds and Cards will likely slug it out this year again.. but i think the Pirates are the sleeper of the NL Central..
What? Fair enough for Reds / Cardinals being in it but the Pirates look better to you than Milwaukee and Chicago?
stupid…
2011 NL Central
Cardinals : Check
Reds : Check
Pirates : Fold
Astros : Fold
Cubs: Raise¸
Brewers : All-in
1. Reds
2. Brewers *WC*
3. Cardinals ^.500
4. Cubs -.500
5. Astros -.500
6. Pirates -.100
I guarantee you the Pirates are not finishing last again they finally will finish 5th or better the Cubs had the worst off season out of the entire NL Central. the Pirates improved on all counts.. Clint Hurdle is a good manager.. Matt Diaz is a good pick up.. along others i cant remember but they had a far best winter then the Cubs.
In early 2009 the rockies were easily the 2nd or 3rd worst team in the NL hurdle gets fired and replaced by average-decent manager jim tracy and they make it to the playoffs with 92 wins. but yeah, hurdle is a good manager
Yeah, who wants marginal upgrades like Matt Garza when you can infuse your team with talent like Lyle Overbay and Kevin Correia?
Good for the Prince. The question is does he get a deal with a higher annual salary than this on the open market. The Yankees, Redsox and Phillies, Whitesox are set at first for a while. Very likely that the Angels are as well if Morales recovers which he should. Very likely Cardinals extend Pujols as well so that cuts down his options. If Pena has a good year with the Cubs he would be a cheaper option for them. Where does that leave him as a free agent? The Orioles, Nationals, Dodgers Mets??? If the teams in need are limited I dont know if he breaks the bank. I would love to see him as the Yankees DH but think they will keep it open for Jeter Arod and Montero.
I think he will for sure make 15.5MM a year. I think the years will be the question. I think the low end for Prince, even with limited options would be in the 6/120 range. Well, as long as he has another good year in 2011.
I tend to agree but I remember his dad and the weight became a big issue and may become one for him as well- if he wants a 6 year deal he may have to take a lower salary because of injury and overall health concerns for a guy his size. If I am a GM I go no more than 4 years 100 million. I think after that you are getting into risky territory when you look at his Dad and Mo vaughn.
True, a 5+ year deal would have to come from an AL team. A National League team would regret a long term deal for sure. I could see him getting by at first for maybe 4 more years at most.
Agreed. I have a feeling someone is going to sign him to a contract they regret within 3 seasons.
Dude is better than his father and his pops tailed off at 33. I’ll bet he knocks 30+ HRs until he is 34 at least and posts .900 OPS. Never underestimate someone with a chip on his shoulder, especially an overwhelming desire to be better than his Dad.
Highest paid Brewer in history and this is his arbitration year ! Good for him.
M-E-T-S Mets, Mets, Mets! 2012
That’s a lot of money for someone who should be DH’ing. Got to love 40+ HR’s and an OBP over 400 but man …
I wonder what he will get on the open market. 5/$100? Is he really that much better than Dunn?
I just don’t see the market for him, Not to mention that he is destined to DH, who would give a DH 20+ mil a year?
His agent is Boras. Since when does that guy need a market to get a player a monster contract?
While I agree with that, the game is evolving away from Prince Fielder type players and moving in a more athletic directions.. Even Scott Boras can’t stop that from happening… at least I think.
I would take Prince defensively and offensively over Dunn, but I could see him getting something close to 5/$100 with that 5th year as an option.
Since the Brewers already offered him 5/100M and he and Boras essentially laughed at the offer, I’d be willing to bet they are expecting a ton more.
Thats a lot of cheeseburgers
He actually is a vegetarian as surprising as it may seem!
No comment on this website has ever shocked me more.
He was for a while, but I’ve heard that he went back to eating at least some meat. He’s slimmed down quite a bit this winter, though. I think people will be very surprised when they see him in spring training soon.
i highly doubt he doesn’t eat meat.. he’s nearly 300 pounds most of it is raw power. i just dont believe a guy of his size can gain weight on non meat foods..
…. or a lot of tofu….
Highest paid Brewer in history meaning he’s gotten the most money from the organization to date? Or this is the highest average annual contract they’ve given out?
It’s an absurd amount of money compared to every other arbitration candidate. Just look at today’s signing. For $15.5m you could have had Chad Billingsley, Anibal Sanchez, Matt Garza, and Phil Hughes. That beats the Nats rotation by a mile.
And we all know that by now, Brewers thought that “the name of the game is pitching” does no longer apply. It’s now an overpaid slugging first-baseman and Yuneski Betancourt who wins championship……. isn’t it?!
backward tactics worked for the giants
Brewers have already Greinke, Marcum, Gallardo, Wolf and Narveson’s contracts in the books. They weren’t looking for more pitching. Why is this deal dumb?
Its what he would have gotten at the hearing and he deseves it. For all his talk about weight, the guy produces and bangs out 40+ homers a year. Look at Mauer and someone like that who hits for average, but has no power. I would take him over Teixeira and Agon to be honest.
I would take A-Gon after a stroke before Fielder. I don’t even dislike Fielder but A-Gon is in a different realm.
Hey! Someone earned more in arbitration than Papelbon!
Had Fielder even come up with a figure for the year if they were to go to a hearing? I would be less surprised if this is the amount that he got after arbitration. Brewers probably could have offered 13 or 14 million and won. Does this seem like an attempt to make returning after this year a better idea?