Comments on: Doug Melvin on Prince Fielder: “it’s simple math”

By: brewcrewfan54

brewcrewfan54 — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:36:02 +0000

Phil, you havent watched enough Brewers baseball then. Of course the Brewers are potentially mich better with Prince but their siccess this year was more because of a vastly improved pitching staff. I’ll hate to see Prince go but having Weeks, Hart, Gallardo and Braun is much better than having just Fielder. Not to mention still having Greinke and marcum. And this version of the Brewers is dramatically better than 2003 and before. Those teams all sucked and were mismanaged and cheap from the top on down. Fielder is a great player but he’s only 1 guy. It takes a lot more thn him to make it to the playoffs.

By: cintiphil

cintiphil — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 21:14:22 +0000

I need to add, I have watched them in Cinti at Great American Park.

By: cintiphil

cintiphil — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 21:12:17 +0000

Until 2003, I traveled extensively to Chicago and Milwaukee. Who said I never saw the brewers play? I have been to both parks, but not the White Sox park. I will take Fielder over anyone except very few players. Of course Albert is my first choice, and a pitcher like Halladay or Verlander would be next, then Prince.

By: dannomac21

dannomac21 — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:01:17 +0000

@cintiphil

you havent watched a brewer game. you ask why the brewers would extend “those players and take themselves out of the prince race by doing so”. those players? braun and gallardo are more important to our long term success than fielder. and weeks and hart arent your “average” players. theyre all stars under bargain contracts. you choose – fielder for 5 years 100 mil or braun for 10 years 140 mil?

simple math.

By: brewcrewfan54

brewcrewfan54 — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:51:52 +0000

The Brewers offered him 5 years and $100 million a uear ago. He tirned it down. Since then they extended GAllardo, Braun, Weeks amd Hart and added Greinke and Marcums contracts. Their payroll is just about full. They cant afford him. Thats small market baseball.

By: cintiphil

cintiphil — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:16:49 +0000

St. Lou. Yes, you are probably right about the redbirds leaders, and that is why I said losing Prince will hurt them more than losing Albert if they don’t sign him. But this notion that Braun is a leader is not in evidence. it mostly hangs on Fielder, not so much with the cards, but Albert is the most important leader on the field.

By the way, what did Milwaukee do last year in signing all of the high priced players if they knew that by doing so, they could not offer the best man on the team a contract this year? And I thought the Reds management was dumb at times.

By: stlouis1baseball

stlouis1baseball — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:22:12 +0000

Cincy: I will give throw you a bone and state that I agree 100% with regards to leadership. The offensive productivity of A.P. and Prince is easily the most glaring thing both teams will miss. In A.P’s case…his Gold Glove defense is another.
I also think the Brewers have a good leader with regards to Braun.
The Cardinals have several leader type players in Lance, Carp, Wainwright, Holliday & Yadi.
Dan: Great post. Not sure what they could gain by low balling Prince.
It would be an insult when you know your Payroll is going to be maxed out WITHOUT him even being a part of the equation.
Wonderful Wall Street reference as well!
I am not sure they truly even know what they are protesting.

By: cintiphil

cintiphil — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:49:24 +0000

To continue, it is not measurable just how much influence a leader has on a team or winning. He is truly a leader and who knows what others on the team will do without him. I think it will hurt more than the cards losing Albert’s leadership. I know that the Brewers were not much before Fielder.

By: cintiphil

cintiphil — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:46:45 +0000

I don’t know just how right or wrong you are. I don’t remember the Brewers winning anything when Fielder was not carrying the team. They dynamics of this team is everyone do your best and lets FOLLOW PRINCE

By: istillbelieveinblue

istillbelieveinblue — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:40:07 +0000

RTFA. The Brewers payroll will be the same or higher without Fielder next year than it was this year with him. He figures to make in the neighborhood of $20 million next year. The fiscal reality of the situation says the Brewers can’t raise their payroll by that much in one season. This is not a case of the Brewers being cheap, but fiscally responsible.

By: dan1111

dan1111 — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:29:37 +0000

The Brewers won their division handily, their main competition might lose Pujols, and they play in the NL Central. I would say they are in pretty good shape for 2012.

Despite the best efforts of some tent-dwellers on Wall Street, money still exists and is a real constraint. If they can’t afford to pay Fielder what he’s worth, it’s better just to let him go, rather than make an offer that is insultingly low.

By: stlouis1baseball

stlouis1baseball — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:22:01 +0000

Ummm…NO.
You do realize that both team are stacked next year…regardless of their 1st Baseman. Right?
I mean…you are fully aware of the current players signed by both teams. Right?
You do realize the Cardinals are expected to contend next year…regardless. Right?
Right? Right Cincy? Right? I mean…you follow baseball. Right? Right? Right?
One more thing before I forget….right?

By: gormanthomas

gormanthomas — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:15:46 +0000

They both played in the PCL, but Nashville isn’t quite the hitters paradise that is Salt Lake.

By: lyon810

lyon810 — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:08:52 +0000

Gamel seems to have fallen prey to the Brandon Wood syndrome: blocked at his position, up and down with the big league club for years without ever getting a long-term shot, and huge inflated PCL numbers.

By: cintiphil

cintiphil — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:39:54 +0000

Unless the Brewers are near bankruptcy, this is too poor of a decision to believe. They need Fielder more than the redbirds need Albert, although this is about as stupid move as not signing Albert for the cards. The Brewers will go nowhere if they are too cheap to pay Fielder. They are not even going to make an offer? That is crazy. I guess the rest of the division can plan on moving up on both the Brewers and Cards.