Prince Fielder: From Milwaukee Brewers to Detroit Tigers
So the indefatigable search for buying the mavericks continues. The Detroit Tigers became another big bidder and claimant of the prohibitively expensive player in Major League Baseball: Prince Fielder. The powerful slugger who was a free-agent for months
now struck a nine year deal worth over $210 million with the Detroit Tigers.
Prince Fielder had come to be known as the most identifiable player of the Milwaukee Brewers. In fact, it was vice versa. Anyone who knows Prince Fielder will almost unmistakably, if not unwittingly, name the Milwaukee Brewers. However, like it inevitably
happens, the two had to traverse different paths at one point in time.
Last year, when the 27-year-old elite player entered into the last season of his contract with the team, there was an unstoppable buzz around as to what lay ahead. Speculations were rife that Milwaukee Brewers will not let the free-agent player go and compensate
somehow since he made almost a perfect duo with Ryan Braun.
However, as things moved ahead, what became increasingly clear was that the two cannot have a consensual and therefore eternal, bond now. Prince Fielder had to move on and the Brewers will go their own way.
But as Milwaukee Brewers decided to look for alternate options, Prince Fielder probably had fewer choices available to him. Being an organisation which can buy any player in the market, the Brewers can afford to have any hitter. However, it was Prince Fielder
who apparently did not have any bidder willing to pay as much as he was looking for.
Only recently Albert Pujols, a hitter from the St. Louis Cardinals, received a multi-million dollar deal by the Los Angeles Angels. Considered to be one of the most exorbitantly paid amount in the history of baseball, Pujols was in the limelight. This, Prince
Fielder thought, can pave the way for him to get a big deal as well.
However, with the passage of time, Prince Fielder’s chances became thinner to get the kind of favourable contract he was looking for. Nontheless, that ultimately happened when Detroit Tigers came from nowhere to give over $200 million for nine years, which
is in no way less than what Pujols got.
But even when Prince Fielder is gone, he draws commendation from his former team. From Mark Attanasio to Doug Melvin, from his old team-mates to anyone who knows him, Prince Fielder epitomised excellence, keeping the spirit of the game alive.
"My approach with Prince is that he helped turn this organization around," Melvin said. "He took us from a level where we were rebuilding, and he was 'the guy.' He was here even before Ryan [Braun] was. Prince, I feel proud of the opportunity we were able
to give him here, and he capitalized on it.”
Now that Prince Fielder is in the Detroit Tigers, he will be sorely missed in Milwaukee. But what everyone will definitely expect from Prince Fielder is the same enthralling hits that he has had with the Brewers.
With such an expensive contract, the burden now sits with Fielder to perform at the highest level for the Tigers. The team will be looking to Fielder for guidance and an increased competitiveness that will help lead the Tigers during the regular season.
The Tigers understand the importance Fielder will play for the team in future seasons, as the hope of winning a World Series title is something now possible.
Tags: