Comments on: Brewers giving up on Prince Fielder, focusing on Jose Reyes?

By: cintiphil

cintiphil — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:45:51 +0000

Giving up on Fielder is a big mistake, unless they can not compete salary wise with other teams. NOBODY is going to replace Prince at first base, poor fielding notwithstanding. There will be a BIG hole in this lineup without him in it. Hello to third place in the division, when he goes to another team!

By: 1chinatown

1chinatown — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:08:11 +0000

When is this team going to change it’s mindset. What has the last 6 years gotten us. When we play contenders we are overwhelmed. What do I mean. Defense has always been an after thought to this franchise. When your infield has 80 + errors, your pitching has no confidence that they are going to only give up 3 outs per inning. This team will have plenty of offense without Prince. Spend the money on a defensive 1st & SS. Trust me, they will win more games then last year with that formula.

By: 78mu

78mu — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 21:27:48 +0000

He’s not a run producer the way Prince is but he would fill a hole at SS for the Brewers. They need a SS but it’s likely Reyes plus whatever internal solutions for 1B the Brewers have will come up short of what Fielder and Yuni did. And that’s if Reyes stays healthy.

For someone that looks more like an NFL lineman than a baseball player Fielder has been very durable. It’s unlikely Reyes or the Brewers 1B will only miss 13 games in the next six years.

By: cur68

cur68 — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:15:55 +0000

Why yes, FC, that’s exactly why I make a sildinafil citrate cocktail…the amusing little side effects are just and added bone.. er bonus…

By: drmonkeyarmy

drmonkeyarmy — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:59:30 +0000

That is a good one FC. Us in the pharmacy world will find the funny. I’m not sure about anybody else though.

By: kopy

kopy — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:45:43 +0000

So THAT’S why this is called “Hardball Talk”

By: paperlions

paperlions — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:44:45 +0000

Oh come on….Boras doesn’t make any client do anything…he is just willing to play the bad guy so that fans/teams don’t direct their anger at the players. If players want the biggest contract, that is what they sign…if they want to play with a particular team or be in a particular situation, then Boras works towards that goal….Boras is the employee here.

By: Tyree Studio

Tyree Studio — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:39:05 +0000

Wonder what Grienke thinks about losing Fielder?

By: okobojicat

okobojicat — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:29:36 +0000

And the Phillies would be smart to jump at it and get out from under that Contract

By: paperlions

paperlions — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:28:20 +0000

Like all humans….all players are aging, can’t be helped.

By: Alex K

Alex K — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:14:54 +0000

I would argue that Yuni and his .271 OBP and awful defense didn’t have a decent year.

Mat Gamel could play first. He’s not Prince Fielder, but it’s a smaller drop off from Fielder to Gamel than Reyes to Betancourt.

By: alang3131982

alang3131982 — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:07:43 +0000

Well, they have Mat Gamel and could move Corey Hart to 1b or McGehee as dlindstedt said. No one will replace Fielder’s power, besides fielder, so why worry about that?

really, SS is far more difficult to fill.

By: dlindstedt2

dlindstedt2 — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:07:29 +0000

What prospects. The best the Brewers could do is send you a bag of bats. They gave up their farm for Marcum/Greinke.

By: dlindstedt2

dlindstedt2 — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:06:39 +0000

Who plays first if Fielder leaves.

Lets see you could do a number of things.

Mcgahee came up as a first base/third baseman. So you could run with that,
Hart used to play first base, and you can make the case that it would be easier to sign or find a corner outfielder than a 1st baseman.
The third option is you could run with Gamel who is down in Triple A who batted 20+ homeruns and 96 or so RBIs.

You dont need power. I would take a 300 hitter, who can spray the ball where ever he wants than take Prince. He is the poor mans Pujols. If you are going to commit that amount of money to a 1st baseman, go spend it on Pujols or just get the hell out.

The money is better spent on Reyes than Fielder.

By: Francisco (FC)

Francisco (FC) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:53:23 +0000

Pulmonary Hypertension problems?

By: andyreidisfat

andyreidisfat — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:37:08 +0000

I think the brewers should send the phillies a bunch of prospects for Howard and then we can sign fielder lol

By: halladaysbiceps

halladaysbiceps — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:29:34 +0000

If Fielder leaves, who plays 1st? How will they replace his power?

By: Jonny 5

Jonny 5 — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:28:35 +0000

28 is 58 in baseball player years.

By: cur68

cur68 — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:25:29 +0000

All I want for Christmas is Fielder as a Blue Jay. If he’s on the team, the rest falls into place; Beurhle will want in, Papelbon will want in and Kelly Johnson re-signs to play 2nd. Everybody for less $ than ordinary because they get to make a run for the post season behind 2 of the best bats in MLB…this is what I tell myself when I’m high on a cocktail of sildenafil citrate, whiskey, soda and a pickled onion (known as “high hardball”).

By: dlindstedt2

dlindstedt2 — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:23:18 +0000

Reyes will go for less than Fielder. And Fielder wont be a brewer. That is a pipe dream. Boras will get the biggest contract he can and make him sign. As much as the Brewers would want to keep him, they have little chance to. So if you are going to spend the money and bring in someone, I would say Reyes is as good as anyone. You can even say he is one of the best at the position. I would be happy with that.

By: sdelmonte

sdelmonte — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:20:24 +0000

Is Reyes really going to go for that much less than Fielder? If I were the Brewers, I’d try to stick with the guy they already have, since the Fielder-Braun combo seems to work well.

By: dlindstedt2

dlindstedt2 — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:19:47 +0000

I would say they have bigger hole at SS.

They have more options at first than SS. If you look around the league, SS is a commodity. For the Brewers, they could do a lot at first. They could shop or bring up someone to play outfield and play Hart at first. They could bring up Gamel at first, they could move Mcgahee to first. Right there I just gave you three options.

For short, they have nothing. Betancourt, had a decent year, but nothing to be excited about. And they have no one really ready in the minor leagues. I would say that SS is a bigger need than 1st at this point.

By: dlindstedt2

dlindstedt2 — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:13:44 +0000

Jose Reyes is only 28… how is he aging? Injury prone, sure, but aging… come on.

By: halladaysbiceps

halladaysbiceps — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:59:06 +0000

Where is it in the rule of FA if you have no hope on signing one player, you must spend what money you have left on another player? Last time I checked, Jose Reyes doesn’t play 1st base. Shouldn’t the Brewers be focusing more on using their money to sure up 1st base and their pitching?

By: Jonny 5

Jonny 5 — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:55:00 +0000

The Marlins should sign some super FA if they want people in the seats. That’s all I’m saying….

By: mvp43

mvp43 — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:46:15 +0000

If I’m The Brewers I pass on Reyes. He had a great year, but he’s an aging player and inury prone. And, he’s not a run producer. Yes, he gets on base, but they need someone to bat behind Braun.

By: dlindstedt2

dlindstedt2 — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:43:37 +0000

They have the money. The have a lot of money to throw around so I dont think that is the issue.

The issue is how much are teams willing to give up. And where would you rather end up.

For Prince, going to the Marlins would be a mistake, I dont see them going anywhere anytime soon. So why would you waste 4-7 years playing for someone that isn’t going to compete. I just dont understand that