The Flawed Tiger

Roar Roar Roar Roar Roar Roar … MEOW

Remember back in 2012 when nobody had signed Prince Fielder by the middle of January?

Fielder was a free agent, available, and the Tigers had recently learned that DH Victor Martinez would be out for the season with a serious knee injury. Mr. Illitch gave Mr. Dombrowski the go–ahead to sign Fielder. Who, by all accounts, had no offers at the time. And the Tigers signed him for nine years.

NINE YEARS! 

We all thought it a bit extreme then.

I wonder what we're thinking now?

Turns out, he's like our own personal Alex Rodriguez. He doesn't produce runs in the post season. He is a good singles hitter in the post season though.

In fairness. last spring, I predicted he would have a monster season. He looked great in Spring Training, was hitting the ball hard and far. I thought after a full year to adjust to American League pitching he would tear things up and become the Tigers' third consecutive MVP. He hit one ball so far in a spring game that I thought it was a harbinger of things to come. And he did have one great month. And five lousy months. (Not to mention October, which I don't think contractually we can mention ...)

My comparison was Adam Dunn who had played so many years in the National League and then struggled his first year in the American League. But he rebounded for a huge sophomore campaign.

Instead, Fielder went backward in 2013. He didn't reach 30 HR and barely had 100 RBI. He still received full paychecks, though. Would you sign the same player to a seven–year $168 million dollar contract?

NINE YEARS!