A roly-poly but richer Prince Fielder!

We hear a lot about Fielder’s weight but he does answer the bell everyday. In fact, over his 6 full seasons in the majors, Fielder has averaged 159.83 games. The Rays signed Carlos Pena to a one yr/$7.25-mil deal which became official today. I kind of wonder why the Tigers didn’t try to ink Pena to fill the one year void of Victor Martinez. Even if they had to go to 2 years on him. This is a guy, Pena, who over the past 5 seasons has averaged 34.4 HR and 94.8 walks. Plus his defense at the one sack is superior to Fielder’s. Pena, as a hitter, won’t make anyone forget Ichiro, however! I agree that in the short term, the Fielder deal is a good one by the Tigers. But what happens 5 or 6 years into the deal? I would like to know if the Tigers were bidding against anyone because I heard teams like the Rangers and Nationals weren’t willing to go beyond 5 or 6 years and the Mariners and Orioles couldn’t come up with enough money. In theory, the Tigers already won the AL Central. Of course the games have to be played first but, my feeling is, the Tigers could also have won the division with a guy like Pena and saved a ton of cash. By 2015 the Tigers will probably regret this deal but, for now, it’s a great signing by Detroit. I just hink if they waited another week, the price would have come down more. When Martinez gets back he’ll probably be the DH and occasional catcher if his legs hold up and Cabrera may have to move to the hot corner. He has 383 career starts at the hot corner, but hasn't played there since his first season with Detroit in 2008.

Players are never worth what they are getting paid at the end of these long contracts and the teams that sign the players know it. If Fielder helps them to the playoffs the next 5 or 6 years and helps win them a World Series or two, they won't look back in 8 years when he is done for.

That collective groan you just heard was from the Detroit pitching staff. For now, Miggy and the Great Fatsby will likely swap DH/1B. When V-Mart returns the Tigers almost have to move Miggy back to 3B (another groan). It will be interesting to see if Detroit 3, 4, & 5 hitters will have more HRs or more Errors. WOW! I am totally shocked. Not that someone was going to sign him but that someone would pay this fat guy almost $24 million a year for 9 years! I hope they have a clause in his contract that he has to lose about 50-60 pounds! In about 4 years, this dude's knees are going to be SHOT!! Then the Tigers are going to be strapped with a huge coin and nothing they can do about it. Haha....they should have added a clause that each year he is more than 220 lbs he has to forfeit $10 million of his salary....lol.