Prince Fielder looking for a hefty contract as free agent – MLB Update
Milwaukee Brewers’ Prince Fielder is now officially a free agent, after the exclusive negotiation window for teams closed at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, November 3. Many teams have expressed their willingness to take the National League home-run derby captain
onboard for 2012, but few have the ability to afford Fielder.
Free agency was one thing Fielder was aiming for since 2010, when he declined a five-year 100-million-dollar contract extension from the Brewers. Ever since, there have been no negotiations between both parties and the Brewers are still unsure on what to
offer. Milwaukee’s general manager Doug Melvin is scheduled to meet owner Mark Attanasio in early November to discuss Prince’s case, but the monetary compensation is one thing that might worry the management.
Declining the extension in 2010 means that Fielder is targeting something more than that and possibly a shift of alliance as well. Both parties are currently on a standstill and it seems that no development will be seen in this case before December, at least.
Fielder’s agent, Scott Boras, wants to get the best deal for his client. Boras got an eight-year 180-million-dollar deal for Mark Teixeira from New York Yankees in 2009, making him the most expensive first baseman currently. The Yankees might not have an
offer for Fielder because of their commitment with Teixeira and the other two big spending clubs, the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies, have already committed large amounts to their respective first basemen.
Under this scenario, it seems unlikely that a bidding war for Fielder will initiate. With Albert Pujols and Jose Reyes in the mix for options, the probability reduces further.
To Fielder’s advantage, he is just 27-years of age and has just completed a successful campaign, winning his second Silver Slugger Award to top the season. His weight might be a problem for a few teams, but that should not be an issue if a fair analysis
is to be performed.
The Washington Nationals have expressed their desire to spend heavily in a bid to ensure qualification for the postseason next year, hinting that Fielder might be on their radar. However, it still remains to be seen how things unfold.
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