Prince Fielder Rumors: Nationals, Marlins and Rangers Edition
By Editorial Staff
Today’s batch of Prince Fielder rumors includes a lot of talk regarding the favorites to ultimately sign the slugger, the Washington Nationals. Reporters also offered updates on two other teams that have been tied to Fielder this offseason, the Miami Marlins and Texas Rangers. Fielder’s agent Scott Boras also provided us with an idea of when the PF Flyer may eventually come in for a landing.
If you have been getting the feeling that the Prince Fielder situation may never be resolved, you’re not alone. Super-agent Scott Boras shed some vague light on the negotiations yesterday, telling Barry Bloom of MLB.com that Fielder will certainly be signed “well in advance of Spring Training”. Boras didn’t offer a target date, but he did say “these things take some time” and “that’s why we have January and early February”.
Thanks Scott.
Moving on to some actual team-related Fielder news, most of the focus yesterday remained on the Nationals. Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post noted how the Nats are continuing their push for Fielder while taking a patient yet aggressive approach.
Coming out of nowhere, Bill Ladson of MLB.com also reported that there is a “99 percent” chance that the Nationals will in fact not be signing Fielder this winter. Though they have been named as the most likely (and logical) landing spot for Fielder, Ladson says that the Nationals are unwilling to pay Fielder anything close to what the Angels handed Albert Pujols last month.
Though it may be easy to forget, there are other teams that remain in the hunt for Fielder (if for no other reason than to drive up Boras’ asking price).
Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports hears that someone “with knowledge of the Rangers finances” doubts the club will sign both Yu Darvish and Fielder this winter. This jives with what has been reported elsewhere, and Morosi adds that the Nationals are “still viewed as the favorite for Prince”.
While this may be the case, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com feels that a Fielder signing may have to wait until after the Rangers are done negotiating with Darvish. Many speculate that if contract talks somehow fall through with Yu, the Rangers will turn their attention to Fielder.
Though they haven’t been considered a serious suitor for Fielder for some time, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports that the Marlins are still not showing interest in Prince. Kilgore noted that Boras was meeting with several owners at the Owner’s Meetings in Phoenix this week, but Frisaro says there are strong indications that the Marlins are not aggressively pursuing Fielder.
You can check out all of the available free agents by position below.