2011-12 Hot Stove Thread

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

He likely won't be playing in the field though, Rick. Well, unless they move Cabrera back to third, which I probably don't see happening.

 

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

D'oh, that should be obvious.

That'll help his value a bit. He's such a bad 1b that not having to do it is worth the higher DH standards.

 

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

Fielder should tithe to Pujols' charity, because this contract was clearly done under the "look what he got and adjust accordingly" model.

 

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

With Fielder and Cabrera on the same team, I'd hate to be fighting for leftovers on that clubhouse spread

 

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

Cabrera actually played decently at 3B when he first came to Detroit; the lineup experiment blew up because Carlos Guillen, who had been at least a reasonably decent SS, proved an utter butcher at 1B and Cabrera was moved over there because they needed someone who could actually catch balls thrown straight at him.

If I were the Tigers, I'd at least propose the idea to him, hoping it would give him incentive to stay in at least a little better shape, and also to get the .197 hitting Inge off the roster once and for all.

 

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

Wow. Just don't see him worth that much, not even now. Approx. $24 per year.

I give Illitch credit for trying though.

Boras is a master negotiator. Fielder is a guy who hit in a very hitter friendly park, who is a premier power guy but only been so for what 3 plus years? and just 2 years ago had a serious down year.

 

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

SI's Heyman says he'll be playing 1st.

For reference*, Fangraphs has his offense at 35 runs/year better than the average 1b over the last three years. But they have his defense and baserunning giving back five runs a year each.


* not meant to be taken as gospel down to the last decimal point

 

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

Guy averages about 38 homers per year and 107 RBIs in six full season. Excellent numbers, no doubt. But nine years/$214M?

EDIT: My first thought was this was a case of way overpaying for Fielder, but it appears to be right about what his market value should be.

Adrian Gonzalez has averaged 31 HRs and 104 RBIs in six full seasons and he's making $22M a year, about $1.7M less than Fielder per year.

Gonzalez has an OPS of .889, while Fielder's is .929 and they are the same age.

So I suppose they are comparable contracts (though I believed the Sox overpaid Gonzalez at the time). But Gonzalez got seven years and I think there's a case to be made he's more likely to play out his deal at full health compared to someone of Fielder's size.

 

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

Adrian Gonzalez isn't a a butcher at 1b who needs three singles to score from first.

 

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

Very true. But Cabrera has put on a bit of weight since then. He probably doesn't have the range at third that he once did.

 

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

LOL