Tigers to sign Fielder

[JayTheClown]

Always the team out of left field. Guess this means Fielder and Cabrera will both play 1st and DH. Nice sign Detroit:toast

9 years, $214MM

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/01/tigers-prince-fielder-nearing-nine-year-deal.html

Edit: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/01/tigers-to-sign-prince-fielder.html

[JamStone]

Insane. I never expected this. Awesome middle of the line-up especially when Victor Martinez returns, whenever that may be. It's obvious fielding isn't much of a concern. Lol Miggy back at 3B.

[monosylab1k]

I understand not wanting an overweight first baseman when he's 36, but dammit Rangers. Moreland better fucking deliver this year.

[JMarkJohns]

Fielder's 2011 home park stats fit for Comerica Park.

http://i41.tinypic.com/4rwadk.png

Interesting.

[TheGreatest23]

Pujols and Fielder in the AL.

American League = Fucked

[JayTheClown]

Insane. I never expected this. Awesome middle of the line-up especially when Victor Martinez returns, whenever that may be. It's obvious fielding isn't much of a concern. Lol Miggy back at 3B.

There is no way they put Miguel back at 3B, right? I mean the reasoning for moving him was because he was to slow to play the position. He has gained at least 40 pounds since being moved to first. It will very interesting the year after next when Victor comes back.

[JamStone]

I understand not wanting an overweight first baseman when he's 36, but dammit Rangers. Moreland better fucking deliver this year.

I think for the Rangers, while Fielder would have made their offense outstanding, having the flexibility to play both Michael Young and Mike Napoli 1B for a number of games is something they look at as a positive.



Fielder's 2011 home park stats fit for Comerica Park.

http://i41.tinypic.com/4rwadk.png

Interesting.

Yeah, I don't think Prince is going to hit 40+ HRs anymore. Fortunately, the Tigers still play 81 games in other parks other than CoPa. And I think depending how Leyland decides to make the line-up, if Fielder hits 3rd with Miguel Cabrera clean-up, Fielder may still get his share of good pitches and big swings at home, compared to having guys like Corey Hart and Yuniesky Betancourt providing him protection. I'd still expect 30-35 or so HRs from Fielder even his HR totals at home take a dip.

[JMarkJohns]

Yeah, Fielder will still hit well. But he hits a ton of fly outs and his new home park will create even more. He may adjust and level off the swing a bit more to get more drive. I doubt he hits just 9 homeruns at home. 15-20 makes sense.

I think 35 is a nice number.

[JamStone]

Prince's HR totals (home / away)

2011: 24 / 14
2010: 18 / 14
2009: 33 / 23
2008: 18 / 16
2007: 27 / 23
2006: 11 / 17

He has shown pretty consistently to hit roughly 15-20 HRs on the road so far in his career. If he's aided at all by Miggy hitting in front or behind him and adjusts his swing (as you suggested flattening it out to perhaps hit more gap doubles), perhaps he can still get near or around 15 at home as well. Who knows? Miller Park was obviously very favorable for his power. His value will obviously also be how he impacts the way teams pitch to Cabrera.

[DJ Mbenga]

I understand not wanting an overweight first baseman when he's 36, but dammit Rangers. Moreland better fucking deliver this year.

http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptusmlbexperts/princececil124.jpg

[JamStone]

There been stories forever here in Detroit about how Prince would hit homeruns in old Tigers Stadium as a kid like when he was 10 or something when he'd take BP with his dad.

[DarkReign]

There is no way they put Miguel back at 3B, right? I mean the reasoning for moving him was because he was to slow to play the position. He has gained at least 40 pounds since being moved to first. It will very interesting the year after next when Victor comes back.

My buddy is a baseball buff and his explanation was thus:

Cabrera is going back to 3rd. Some interview he did today/yesterday in his native land was translated on the radio and he said as much.

My buddy feels Cabrera will be DH-ed for at least the beginning of the year, if not the whole year (with some spot duty at 1st). He will have to cut weight to some degree and work on his fielding at the position.

He will have this entire year, the upcoming offseason and spring training next year to get...semi-respectable at the position. Whether its a success or not is entirely up to him.

When Martinez is back, 3. Fielder 1B/Cabrera 3B - 4. Cabrera 3B/Fielder 1B - 5. Martinez DH

Thats my buddy's take.

I am no baseball wiz, but I see this ending badly very quickly. My buddy says Cabrera has expressed interest in returning to 3B even before the Fielder signing, but I have never heard or seen anything like that.

One of them will be moved in the next 3 years, especially if this team struggles at all.

[JayTheClown]

Not to take away from what the Tigers did in signing Fielder. I'm sure they have a plan to make the money work for them. That being said, I am ecstatic the Rangers did give in to that contract.

I predict the Tigers will eventually attempt to move Victor when he is good and healthy. There is no point in having three 1B/DH types on your team. A Detroit fan may want to correct me on this. I believe they signed Delmon to a extension last year. Austin is under control for at least the next 4 years I believe. Boesch can signed on the cheap when his contract is up if that is the direction they want to go. The same can be said about Inge. Miggy and Verlander has signed their extensions. The Tigers have good young pitching in the rotation who aren't even arbitration eligible yet. I dont know much about the Tigers to comment on Santiago or Peralta.

The Rangers on the other hand are in a different position. Kinsler, Hamilton, Cruz, Napoli & Colby Lewis all will be FA soon. Andrus & Harrison are in their arbitration years. There is no way you add a $214 million dollar contract to this uncertainty. The Tigers are are in a relatively good position to add a large contract. They have their core players locked up. While the Rangers need to get to where the Tigers were before they signed Fielder.

[DarkReign]

Theyre spending like the Yankees, they better play better than the Yankees.

The pressure is officially at maximum in Detroit to win and win now. The owner is 82 years old and baseball is his very first love. He wants a Series ring before he dies, pretty obvious, I wouldnt be surprised if this team wasnt done yet this offseason.

Illitch (the owner) knows the clock is ticking. He might just buy a Series at the expense of everything else and let the kids pick up the pieces after he is gone.

[JayTheClown]

Theyre spending like the Yankees, they better play better than the Yankees.

The pressure is officially at maximum in Detroit to win and win now. The owner is 82 years old and baseball is his very first love. He wants a Series ring before he dies, pretty obvious, I wouldnt be surprised if this team wasnt done yet this offseason.

Illitch (the owner) knows the clock is ticking. He might just buy a Series at the expense of everything else and let the kids pick up the pieces after he is gone.

I think their spending more wisely then the yankees. The Yankees just throw many around hoping to hit a target.

[JamStone]

Delmon Young is in his last year of arbitration, and he agreed with the Tigers for a one year deal worth just under $7 million. He'll be a free agent after this season. It's assumed the Tigers have no designs for Delmon Young to be a part of the future beyond this season. Both Austin Jackson and Brennen Boesch are under team control for a while. Neither is even in his arbitration years yet. Inge has a club option for 2013 but it's widely anticipated to be bought out for I believe $500,000. I have a sneaking suspicion he'll be waived before this season even starts or at some point during this upcoming season. Verlander is signed through 2014. Miggy is signed through 2015. The Tigers owner Ilitch had spent in recent years. And you're right that the Tigers were in position this off season to spend on a big contract if they wanted to. I didn't expect this though. Not at all.

In that same article Dark mentioned, Miggy also was quoted as saying 3B is his natural position. I think he views the move back to 3B as a good thing, or the very least, not a bad thing. How he performs at 3B defensively is a different matter. His first season with the Tigers, he did not look good there, and he's only gotten bigger. But obviously defense is not a pressing concern based on this move.

With Victor Martinez out this season (or at least most of the season), I'm sure both Miggy and Prince will have their fair share of games DHing.

[JayTheClown]

Delmon Young is in his last year of arbitration, and he agreed with the Tigers for a one year deal worth just under $7 million. He'll be a free agent after this season. It's assumed the Tigers have no designs for Delmon Young to be a part of the future beyond this season. Both Austin Jackson and Brennen Boesch are under team control for a while. Neither is even in his arbitration years yet. Inge has a club option for 2013 but it's widely anticipated to be bought out for I believe $500,000. I have a sneaking suspicion he'll be waived before this season even starts or at some point during this upcoming season. Verlander is signed through 2014. Miggy is signed through 2015. The Tigers owner Ilitch had spent in recent years. And you're right that the Tigers were in position this off season to spend on a big contract if they wanted to. I didn't expect this though. Not at all.

In that same article Dark mentioned, Miggy also was quoted as saying 3B is his natural position. I think he views the move back to 3B as a good thing, or the very least, not a bad thing. How he performs at 3B defensively is a different matter. His first season with the Tigers, he did not look good there, and he's only gotten bigger. But obviously defense is not a pressing concern based on this move.

With Victor Martinez out this season (or at least most of the season), I'm sure both Miggy and Prince will have their fair share of games DHing.

I knew Delman signed a contract I just assumed it was more than a year. I forgot how young he was. If Miggy turns out to be be a decent defensive 3B then then the sky will be the limit for this team. I suspect Miggy will lose a little weight for spring training.

[JMarkJohns]

Prince's HR totals (home / away)

2011: 24 / 14
2010: 18 / 14
2009: 33 / 23
2008: 18 / 16
2007: 27 / 23
2006: 11 / 17

He has shown pretty consistently to hit roughly 15-20 HRs on the road so far in his career. If he's aided at all by Miggy hitting in front or behind him and adjusts his swing (as you suggested flattening it out to perhaps hit more gap doubles), perhaps he can still get near or around 15 at home as well. Who knows? Miller Park was obviously very favorable for his power. His value will obviously also be how he impacts the way teams pitch to Cabrera.

The other divisional parks in the NL Central are all hitter-friendly, though, too. AL Central has one I know of in Comiskey, but I know Minnesota's new stadium is pitcher friendly. Not sure I know enough about the Royals and Indians ballparks.

I think a nice 14-18 split pretty even both Home/Road is to be expected, though. If he realizes hitting gap doubles is better than flying out, maybe 13-16 split per with a drastic increase in doubles, thus probably more RBI.

[Wild Cobra Kai]

Miguel at third will not be any worse, and probably much better than their previous patchwork 3B platoon. Their choices were good glove/no stick in Inge, or bad glove, light stick with the others. If he's willing to lose some weight and work on his fielding for a while before they stick him out there, the Fielder signing will be a strong positive.

[TIMMYtoZO]

What a horrible move by the Tigers. 9 years,$214 million for one player? Not worth it. The Tigers are going to regret this move in the near future. They will be financially fucked. Moves like these come back to bite teams in the ass. :lol

[TIMMYtoZO]

Oh, and I would know about horrible contracts. Look at that piece of shit Ryan Howard. Dumbass Phillies are stuck with him for a few more years.

[Blake]

What a horrible move by the Tigers. 9 years,$214 million for one player? Not worth it. The Tigers are going to regret this move in the near future. They will be financially fucked. Moves like these come back to bite teams in the ass. :lol

Not sure if srs, but I agree.

9 years 214 m is a lot to invest in one first baseman/dh.

I thought sure everyone in baseball had seen Moneyball by now

[TheGreatest23]

who cares...its not like there is a cap..if they have money to spend, then fuckin spend it. lol

lol at people who is soooo worried about how high contracts that they are glad they didnt sign Fielder or Pujols.

Frickin Angels has Vernon Wells contract and people thought they couldnt spend anything anymore...then BAM, Wilson and Pujols.

[Wild Cobra Kai]

Not sure if srs, but I agree.

9 years 214 m is a lot to invest in one first baseman/dh.

I thought sure everyone in baseball had seen Moneyball by now

Moneyball never won a WS. Mike Ilitch is 82 and wants to win one before he goes into the ground.

The Tigers just lost their second best bat last week, and Prince was the only really good one left on the market. I like Miguel Cabrera, but Fielder is two years younger, and if MC doesn't work out at third, his contract is such that any team that doesn't mind the occasional DUI can get a good bat for less than the current market.

I also read an article that they may move Delmon to DH for his (likely) final year in DET and try MC in LF, since Delmon isn't all that with the glove anyway.

[Blake]

I didn't imply they should be Oakland A cheap, but do the Tigers have unlimited amounts of money to spend?

[JamStone]

I didn't imply they should be Oakland A cheap, but do the Tigers have unlimited amounts of money to spend?

Not unlimited like the Yankees and Red Sox, but Ilitch isn't going to go into bankruptcy over this. His net worth is in the neighborhood of $2 billion. For years, he overspent on the Red Wings when the NHL had no salary cap. Once the NHL got a hard cap, Ilitch started spending more on the Tigers. It was never really an issue of being able to afford it, rather if he felt the money was worth it and whether the top free agents wanted to come to Detroit. Last year, he tried to buy the Pistons as well, so he was ready to drop $400 million just last year in that attempt.

It's very clear that this move had other motivations other than being cost-effective under some sabermetric philosophy. Other considerations, such as Ilitch's age are obviously playing a factor. Some, perhaps many, have and may continue to argue how ugly Prince's contract will be in the back-end, the last 3-4 years of the contract. I'd agree. But Mike Ilitch isn't looking 5 years ahead. He wants to win right now. He saw the best hitter in the market and made it happen. Rumblings and rumors suggest that Scott Boras cut the middle man out and went beyond Tigers president Dave Dombrowski and went straight to Ilitch, who he already has a relationship with. Boras has often done that with Ilitch. He got favorable deals for guys like Pudge Rodriguez, Magglio Ordonez, Johnny Damon that overpaid those guys beyond what their market value would suggest and what other teams would offer. Same happened here. To make it happen, Ilitch went to the ridiculous with the contract. But here's another factor. Mike Ilitch's first love is baseball, not hockey. He played minor league baseball and got a contract offer to play for the Tigers before basically a career ending injury. Ilitch loves baseball. He loves the Tigers. And as some have been finding out, Ilitch has wanted Prince Fielder on the Tigers for years. Cecil played for the Tigers from 1990-96. So Prince grew up in Detroit and around the Tigers from roughly the ages of 6-12, formative young years for a kid. He probably still has some sentimental feelings for the Tigers. Not that it was the deciding factor, as $214 million is still $214 million at the end of the day. But perhaps it's something to consider.

So I don't see moneyball playing a factor here. You have an owner well into his 80s, longing to bring a World Series to Detroit and to the Tigers organization. An owner who has had some long time affinity towards Prince and who was willing to take a contract offer well beyond what any other team would be willing to offer. An owner at a point willing to spend that type of cash and who is financially stable enough to not let it hurt him or the franchise. An agent with a longstanding relationship with said owner who has a long resume of getting his clients ridiculous contracts. And you get what happened yesterday.

Leave no doubt, it's still absolutely shocking to a lot of us in Detroit. Never thought it would happen. On many different levels, doesn't really make sense. Yesterday, I was stunned. Still am to a degree. But a deeper look into all the facts gives you a better understanding of why and how things played out.

[Blake]

K. I guess I can't really blame an 80+ year old for going all in on a team that's already pretty close to being complete.

[TIMMYtoZO]

who cares...its not like there is a cap..if they have money to spend, then fuckin spend it. lol

lol at people who is soooo worried about how high contracts that they are glad they didnt sign Fielder or Pujols.

Frickin Angels has Vernon Wells contract and people thought they couldnt spend anything anymore...then BAM, Wilson and Pujols.

2 overrated pickups...
Pujols is 32. In 2-3 years that contract is going to really hurt the Angels, and they will be stuck with it. Cj wilson was a stupid pickup. 5 years 75 million is a ton of cash for a 32 year old who is a mentally weak player in the postseason. The tigers are going all out which is fine for 1-2 years, but that contract is going to hurt them for the other 7 years of that deal.

[TheMACHINE]

2 overrated pickups...
Pujols is 32. In 2-3 years that contract is going to really hurt the Angels, and they will be stuck with it. Cj wilson was a stupid pickup. 5 years 75 million is a ton of cash for a 32 year old who is a mentally weak player in the postseason. The tigers are going all out which is fine for 1-2 years, but that contract is going to hurt them for the other 7 years of that deal.

Just curious, but are you implying that the Angels will make it to the playoffs since you are judging CJ on post season work?

Are you also saying that in 5 years, pujols will be a mediocre DH?

[TIMMYtoZO]

Just curious, but are you implying that the Angels will make it to the playoffs since you are judging CJ on post season work?

Are you also saying that in 5 years, pujols will be a mediocre DH?

Angels will win the division. The rangers wont recover from last years heartbreaking loss. In 5 years, Pujols will be 37 and wont even be nearly as good as he is now. His contract situation will be even worse for the team.

[TheMACHINE]

Angels will win the division. The rangers wont recover from last years heartbreaking loss. In 5 years, Pujols will be 37 and wont even be nearly as good as he is now. His contract situation will be even worse for the team.

Well, then it seems like adding these pieces is good since they will win the Division. Also, Pujols will continue to bring in money for the Angels. This was a business decision, not just for on the field, but for merchandise and ticket sales. It also continues to keep the Angels more populor then the Dodgers here in LA.

As for CJ in the post season...he isnt our ACE. He'll play one game in a serires and thats it. As for Pujols, he'll still be better then any DH out there even in year 7 and on.

[TIMMYtoZO]

Well, then it seems like adding these pieces is good since they will win the Division. Also, Pujols will continue to bring in money for the Angels. This was a business decision, not just for on the field, but for merchandise and ticket sales. It also continues to keep the Angels more populor then the Dodgers here in LA.

As for CJ in the post season...he isnt our ACE. He'll play one game in a serires and thats it. As for Pujols, he'll still be better then any DH out there even in year 7 and on.

These moves are not good ones unless it produces championships. Angels wont be doing that so these moves will blow up in their face. The angels are paying cj wilson 15 million a season so Id say they are expecting him to make a significant impact.

[TheMACHINE]

These moves are not good ones unless it produces championships. Angels wont be doing that so these moves will blow up in their face. The angels are paying cj wilson 15 million a season so Id say they are expecting him to make a significant impact.

ahhh so we are gonna win the division, but def not win a championship so you are automatically saying its a bust. ok...I see your logic there. :rolleyes

Oh and CJ Wilson getting us 16 wins instead of Piniero or Chatwood's crap isnt significant? ok buddy.

[TIMMYtoZO]

ahhh so we are gonna win the division, but def not win a championship so you are automatically saying its a bust. ok...I see your logic there. :rolleyes

Oh and CJ Wilson getting us 16 wins instead of Piniero or Chatwood's crap isnt significant? ok buddy.

Keep in mind, your team is nothing special. The world series hangover is why you will even win that division. The angels arent championship material. They had 1 fluky season and have been nothing since. What is funny is you are saying cj was worth every penny for the regular season and not the playoffs. That is pretty stupid to pay a guy 15 million a year for the regular season. :lol

[TheNextGen]

These moves are not good ones unless it produces championships. Angels wont be doing that so these moves will blow up in their face. The angels are paying cj wilson 15 million a season so Id say they are expecting him to make a significant impact.

LOL! Did a Phillies/Heat fan just give lectures about paying a shit load of money to players and not winning a championship.

:lmao

[TheMACHINE]

LOL! Did a Phillies/Heat fan just give lectures about paying a shit load of money to players and not winning a championship.

:lmao

5 years/120 million :lmao

[TIMMYtoZO]

LOL! Did a Phillies/Heat fan just give lectures about paying a shit load of money to players and not winning a championship.

:lmao
rangers/astros fan :lol

[TheMACHINE]

These moves are not good ones unless it produces championships. Angels wont be doing that so these moves will blow up in their face. The angels are paying cj wilson 15 million a season so Id say they are expecting him to make a significant impact.

its ok Timmy...i understand your pretty butthurt that all your team's aquisitions havent panned out yet.

:lol

[TIMMYtoZO]

5 years/120 million :lmao

10 years/252 million for a 32 year old. :lmao

[TheMACHINE]

10 years/252 million for a 32 year old. :lmao

Sounds good to me. Big improvement to our line up. You should know about Pujols, didnt you lose to the Cards last year in the NLDS?

By the way, how was your 120 million pitcher, Cliff Lee in game 2?

:lmao:lol

[TheGreatest23]

Sounds good to me. Big improvement to our line up. You should know about Pujols, didnt you lose to the Cards last year in the NLDS?

By the way, how was your 120 million pitcher, Cliff Lee in game 2?

:lmao:lol

Haha Machine' shittin on little Timmy.

[TIMMYtoZO]

its ok Timmy...i understand your pretty butthurt that all your team's aquisitions havent panned out yet.

:lol

ummmmm giants are in the superbowl, everyone but Miami is weaker this season in the nba, and the phillies arent going anywhere. You are grasping at straws. :lol

[TheGreatest23]

ummmmm giants are in the superbowl, everyone but Miami is weaker this season in the nba, and the phillies arent going anywhere. You are grasping at straws. :lol

lol frontrunner

[TIMMYtoZO]

Sounds good to me. Big improvement to our line up. You should know about Pujols, didnt you lose to the Cards last year in the NLDS?

By the way, how was your 120 million pitcher, Cliff Lee in game 2?

:lmao:lol

Wait a minute. I know you. You always bring up Cliff Lee's contract and game 2 of the alds to me. You always say Pujols is a big addition to the angels lineup. This is Ronnie isnt it? What is going on bro? It's me Drake! Your break dancing at Emma's conference championship party was very entertaining! You owe me a rematch of 2k12 by the way. :lol

[baseline bum]

Cracked me up reading Moneyball (finally) and seeing Beane crucify the Brewers for taking Fielder #7.

[JamStone]

As for Pujols, he'll still be better then any DH out there even in year 7 and on.

That's a possibility, but more likely, probably not by then.

Sadly for Angels fans and Tigers fans alike, the second half of the Albert and Prince contracts will be bad... really, really bad. There's a small chance either or both will still put up big numbers late into their contracts. But it's more likely they will see a steep decline at some point before their contracts end. I've already come to accept that fate.

That's why for both the Angels and Tigers, it's imperative for them to win some World Series (at the very least 1) in the next 4-5 years to justify the inevitability of how ugly those contracts will be from say 2015 or 2016 and beyond.

[TheMACHINE]

That's a possibility, but more likely, probably not by then.

Sadly for Angels fans and Tigers fans alike, the second half of the Albert and Prince contracts will be bad... really, really bad. There's a small chance either or both will still put up big numbers late into their contracts. But it's more likely they will see a steep decline at some point before their contracts end. I've already come to accept that fate.

That's why for both the Angels and Tigers, it's imperative for them to win some World Series (at the very least 1) in the next 4-5 years to justify the inevitability of how ugly those contracts will be from say 2015 or 2016 and beyond.

i say we worry about that when it happens.

[the plane ride]

i left from Arlington to Detroit and it was so quiet, you could hear a season drop!

[dbreiden83080]

How does Boras pull off these deals when his competition is usually not close to the number he ends up getting? Dodgers were supposedly in this race for around 160 mil and that was the next best bid. So why would the Tigers up the offer to over 200 mil and 9 fuckin years? He's out of shape at 27 imagine what he'll be at 34..

[JamStone]

i say we worry about that when it happens.

I agree. I'm just suggesting your comment might not be true, in fact likely not true. I don't think Pujols will still be better than any DH out there when he's 38+ years old. You really think he'll be a 35+ HR, 100+ RBI, .300 hitter at 38? Even if reaches those numbers, there likely will be another DH or perhaps other DHs putting up similar and even better numbers than those.

[JamStone]

How does Boras pull off these deals when his competition is usually not close to the number he ends up getting? Dodgers were supposedly in this race for around 160 mil and that was the next best bid. So why would the Tigers up the offer to over 200 mil and 9 fuckin years? He's out of shape at 27 imagine what he'll be at 34..

Master of the stall. He identifies the parameters of the deal he wants to get for his clients. And he patiently waits until a team caves into the pressure of signing a big time free agent. He has proven that he will have his clients wait it out for the best deal rather than sign a lesser deal quickly just to get it over with. There are some exceptions, but especially when his client is an elite and marquee free agent looking for a huge deal, Boras has been a son of a bitch negotiator. And he usually gets what he and his client are looking for. A lot of people despise the guy, but he's pretty damn good at his job.

[Wild Cobra Kai]

How does Boras pull off these deals when his competition is usually not close to the number he ends up getting? Dodgers were supposedly in this race for around 160 mil and that was the next best bid. So why would the Tigers up the offer to over 200 mil and 9 fuckin years? He's out of shape at 27 imagine what he'll be at 34..

Ilitch is 82, and their second best bat (likely) went down for the season. He's not going to wait a year for them to contend again. Shit, Cabrera would probably get walked half of the time without a protection bat behind him.

[Wild Cobra Kai]

Master of the stall. He identifies the parameters of the deal he wants to get for his clients. And he patiently waits until a team caves into the pressure of signing a big time free agent. He has proven that he will have his clients wait it out for the best deal rather than sign a lesser deal quickly just to get it over with. There are some exceptions, but especially when his client is an elite and marquee free agent looking for a huge deal, Boras has been a son of a bitch negotiator. And he usually gets what he and his client are looking for. A lot of people despise the guy, but he's pretty damn good at his job.

I'm sure Boras wanted Pujols money for Fielder once that market was set, but he took a little less and the Tigers probably came up a LOT. Still a win for Boras.