Where is the Pujols/Fielder money... (1 Viewer)

[pollardsvision]

As of today (A-Gonz locked up), the 2 teams that can offer a stud 1B an insane contract officially cannot. Seems to me that anything over a $250 million contract is now off the table.

Most of the rest of the teams in MLB either can't afford it or don't need to do it.

The Phillies, White Sox, Tigers, and Reds couldn't do it even if they could afford to.

2 teams that have the need and usually would have the resources are in crazy, freakishly strange financial constraints (Mets, Dodgers).

I could see an outside shot of the Angels, Braves, Nationals, or Rangers making a play, but I'd be very surprised to see any of them make a serious run at them.

What a terrible time to be a stud 1B looking for a massive contract.

Am I missing something or does the market for these 2 guys consist of 2 teams (Cards, Cubs)?

If so, how do the players possibly have any negotiating leverage?

 

[Dr. Awesome]

It only takes one other team. Mets, Cubs, Angels are 3 easy ones. Never underestimate the Red Sox or Yankees. Orioles or Nationals seem to be offering a lot of money to free agents these days (though they rarely land guys). Maybe the Giants or Braves (not sure who they have coming off the books after this year).

 

[SuperAwesomeDude]

i fully expect the cubs to go after fielder instead of pujols. so im pretty sure pujols will be signing w/ the cubs for 40 years - 1.5 billion

 

[cheese]

Cubs are going to offer huge for these guys even if they're bidding against themselves.

 

[pollardsvision]

It only takes one other team. Mets, Cubs, Angels are 3 easy ones. Never underestimate the Red Sox or Yankees. Orioles or Nationals seem to be offering a lot of money to free agents these days (though they rarely land guys). Maybe the Giants or Braves (not sure who they have coming off the books after this year).

Yeah, I'm sure there'll be some more teams in play, but it's just hard to see where that's coming from at the moment. I wouldn't underestimate the Yankees or Sox, but I just can't possibly imagine how they would ever do it, unless one of them wants to make Fielder a DH for the rest of his career. Can't see them doing it or Fielder agreeing to it. The Mets or Dodgers getting things straightened out would be the major gamechanger, I think. Is there any chance of this happening in the next 9 months? I really don't know.The other wildcard would be the Angels. I know other teams will throw some money around, but it's just incredibly hard to imagine Pujols or Fielder signing long-term with a team that it's hard to bank on being competitive in the long-term (O's,Nats).The Braves have some long-term flexibility and a good market, but signing Fielder or Pujols would just seem very out of character for them. They've had 12 different starting 1B for the last 13 opening days, so if Freeman looks terrible this year, I could maybe see them get sick of dealing with crap at 1B.I think the Rangers are similar. They probably have the ability and sort of have the need, but it just doesn't "feel like" something they'd do right now.It'll be interesting, but Cards and Brewers fans couldn't have asked for better circumstances in MLB to keep these guys around (for one fanbase at least, as the Cubs are sure to take one of them).

 

[cheese]

I also think the Cubs being in the same division plays a big role here.

Lets say they offer Pujols 200M+ and Fielder 130M+. Seems to me they're a winner either way. If Milw or STL were to top those deals, they would completely cripple their team for years just due to the lack of payflex.

 

[pollardsvision]

Is there any good info. on what sort of contract Pujols already rejected?

I think the absolute best case scenario for him would be 8/$200M and I have a feeling he's only going to get something in the $175M to $180M range (especially if Prince jumps the gun and signs for $150M with the Cubs while Pujols is still available).

A monopoly-money team just got Adrian Gonzalez for $154M. He's not Pujols, but he is 2 years younger and dealing with a team that prints money.

 

[Bogart]

I would love to see the Rangers be in the Pujols talks as 1B is a "weakness" for them this year, but I have a feeling it will be the Angels that spend the most and get their guy. Moreno was embarrassed this offseason and will be out to make the biggest splash next offseason.

 

[Dr. Awesome]

Oakland could drop $20 million a year on a player. No shtick. They were approaching that with Beltre.

Now the chances of them doing that or him signing here are nil. But in my fantasy it can happen.

 

[Wrigley]

i fully expect the cubs to go after fielder instead of pujols. so im pretty sure pujols will be signing w/ the cubs for 40 years - 1.5 billion

Funny, I've been thinking the same thing

 

[RnR]

Oakland could drop $20 million a year on a player. No shtick. They were approaching that with Beltre.Now the chances of them doing that or him signing here are nil. But in my fantasy it can happen.

I would assume you're referring to Fielder here, because 20 mil per year is about 2/3 of what it would take to get Pujols to Oakland. If Albert were willing to take 20 mil per year, he wouldn't be "on the market" today. Even if it was a 10 year commitment, the Cards would take that.

 

[Limp Ditka]

i fully expect the cubs to go after fielder instead of pujols. so im pretty sure pujols will be signing w/ the cubs for 40 years - 1.5 billion

Funny, I've been thinking the same thing

It's the wiser decision, but then again, look who we're talking about here.

 

[boubucarow]

i fully expect the cubs to go after fielder instead of pujols. so im pretty sure pujols will be signing w/ the cubs for 40 years - 1.5 billion

Funny, I've been thinking the same thing

It's the wiser decision, but then again, look who we're talking about here.

Please Sir, let me believe the Cubs will at some point start making wise decisions.

 

[pollardsvision]

i fully expect the cubs to go after fielder instead of pujols. so im pretty sure pujols will be signing w/ the cubs for 40 years - 1.5 billion

Funny, I've been thinking the same thing

I think that would be a smart move.Fielder seems risky, but if we're going under the assumption that Pujols doesn't use HGH, I have a hard time seeing how a team won't regret giving him $100M from the ages of 37-40 (assuming that Pujols, who looked 30 years old when he was 20 is actually the age he says he is).

 

[Limp Ditka]

i fully expect the cubs to go after fielder instead of pujols. so im pretty sure pujols will be signing w/ the cubs for 40 years - 1.5 billion

Funny, I've been thinking the same thing

It's the wiser decision, but then again, look who we're talking about here.

Please Sir, let me believe the Cubs will at some point start making wise decisions.

I see a whole lot of 'meet the new boss, same as the old boss' going on.

 

[boubucarow]

i fully expect the cubs to go after fielder instead of pujols. so im pretty sure pujols will be signing w/ the cubs for 40 years - 1.5 billion

Funny, I've been thinking the same thing

It's the wiser decision, but then again, look who we're talking about here.

Please Sir, let me believe the Cubs will at some point start making wise decisions.

I see a whole lot of 'meet the new boss, same as the old boss' going on.

Not saying you are truly wrong, I am just hoping.

 

[Wrigley]

i fully expect the cubs to go after fielder instead of pujols. so im pretty sure pujols will be signing w/ the cubs for 40 years - 1.5 billion

Funny, I've been thinking the same thing

It's the wiser decision, but then again, look who we're talking about here.

Please Sir, let me believe the Cubs will at some point start making wise decisions.

I see a whole lot of 'meet the new boss, same as the old boss' going on.

Immediate change is impossible.They let Silva go.......that's got to be good for something

 

[Limp Ditka]

i fully expect the cubs to go after fielder instead of pujols. so im pretty sure pujols will be signing w/ the cubs for 40 years - 1.5 billion

Funny, I've been thinking the same thing

It's the wiser decision, but then again, look who we're talking about here.

Please Sir, let me believe the Cubs will at some point start making wise decisions.

I see a whole lot of 'meet the new boss, same as the old boss' going on.

Immediate change is impossible.

The management staff is almost the same as it was day one (Crane Kenney / Jim Hendry / Tim Wilken / etc) and day one was about 700 days ago now.Can you give me one logical explanation as to why, after owning the team for 2+ years, Ricketts is signing a paycheck for any of these people?

 

[Wrigley]

i fully expect the cubs to go after fielder instead of pujols. so im pretty sure pujols will be signing w/ the cubs for 40 years - 1.5 billion

Funny, I've been thinking the same thing

It's the wiser decision, but then again, look who we're talking about here.

Please Sir, let me believe the Cubs will at some point start making wise decisions.

I see a whole lot of 'meet the new boss, same as the old boss' going on.

Immediate change is impossible.

The management staff is almost the same as it was day one (Crane Kenney / Jim Hendry / Tim Wilken / etc) and day one was about 700 days ago now.Can you give me one logical explanation as to why, after owning the team for 2+ years, Ricketts is signing a paycheck for any of these people?

They have nude photos of Ricketts and a goat? I really have nothing.Hendry should have been gone long ago.

If I had this kind of cash, I would have backed up the truck and went after Walt Jocketty

 

[INRIhab]

I started drinking a little early tonight, so excuse me for the ignorance but...didnt the Orioles make a big play for Tex? Can they be realistic suitors (at least for Fielder)?

 

[Finless]

Sox are signing Fielder as a DH. I can guarantee that.