Seattle Mariners deny talks of contract with Prince Fielder – MLB Update
The Seattle Mariners’ general manager, Jack Zduriencik on Tuesday, December 20, dismissed reports that the club was in talks with the free-agent, Prince Fielder. The Milwaukee Brewers’ first baseman is reportedly looking for at least a ten-year deal, but
no favourable result has come so far.
Jack Zduriencik’s dismissal came after it was reported that the Mariners had already talked about contract parameters with the free-agent. That was a report that got things rolling on Tuesday, but will now fade away with Jack Zduriencik’s response. “I got
a bunch of calls this morning on a bunch of subjects and players we're connected with,” he said. “But I'm not going to comment on free-agent players. That's the end of it. We'll do our due diligence, and I'm not going to say anything more.”
The Seattle Mariners are carefully treading the path given the reported financial constraints as well. Albert Pujols’ 10-year deal of $254 million has set a paradigm here for a slugger of Prince Fielder’s calibre. While there is barely any doubt of the credentials
the free-agent slugger has, winning three All-Star awards in last five years with .299 career average, it is with extra care that the teams will approach him given the amount of dollars involved in it.
As big clubs go for big contracts, Yu Darvish being the recent case if not Albert Pujols, the Mariners cannot afford to join this race. This was something that Zduriencik’s statement reflected. “There's no question that both those clubs have helped themselves
and both were really good as it was,” he said. “Now, the Angels get Pujols and [C.J.] Wilson and Texas gets Yu Darvish. But we're not going to deviate from our course. We're a little further away than those clubs.”
In the days to come, a lot will depend on how Prince’s agent, Scott Boras handles the market. When clubs like Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees are not in the race to get a first baseman, it will indeed be interesting to see who
else will jump in.
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