Josh Hamilton or Prince Fielder
After introducing Yu Darvish to the Rangers family, Co-Chairman Bob Simpson commented on the status of Josh Hamilton‘s contract and the possibilities of signing Prince Fielder. This came courtesy of ESPNDallas, and according to the report, Simpson said, “We’ve got guys, frankly, like Josh Hamilton that I would love to see re-signed. My personal preference, at this moment, would be to re-sign him instead of having Fielder.”
With that being said, what should the Rangers actually do? Would it make more sense to extend Hamilton’s contract, or would they be better off spending that money on a deal for Prince Fielder? These are the questions a team must ask themselves when they want to contend with the Angels who just stole away C.J. Wilson and signed Albert Pujols. These are the questions a team has to ask themselves when they reached the World Series in back-to-back years, but failed to capture the title in both years.
Josh Hamilton has spent the last four seasons on Texas. In that time, he won a league MVP, won the home run derby once, and was an All-Star in each of his years with the Rangers. Hamilton is now heading into his final year before free agency and has said he wants a new contract done soon. I talked about why the Rangers need to extend Hamilton’s contract back in December. My position hasn’t changed with the availability of Prince Fielder. Even if the options were mutually exclusive (which I don’t think they are. I think the Rangers have the ability to sign Fielder and extend Hamilton’s contract), the Rangers should choose Hamilton.
In four seasons with Texas, Hamilton has put up incredible numbers. His triple-slash with the Rangers is .311/.366/.543. He has accounted for 17.5 WAR with Texas. Perhaps the most telling number is Hamilton’s Hall of Fame Monitor rating according to Baseball Reference. A likely Hall of Fame candidate rates around 100. Hamilton, in just five seasons, already rates a 58 on the Monitor.
Beyond Hamilton’s numbers, he’s become the face of the franchise. In the wake of last season’s tragic incident with a fan in the outfield stands, the team and fans have rallied around Hamilton even more. His comeback story is one that will go down in history as one of the best, if not the best in history. While these intangibles do not necessarily equate to wins, they do equate to ticket sales. Fans come to Arlington to see Hamilton play.
Age is certainly a concern, and Hamilton has shown a propensity for injury. However, at 30 years old, with just five Major League seasons under his belt, Hamilton really is in the same position as most 26 or 27 year old ball players. Maybe all that is eliminated due to his drug and alcohol history, but Hamilton has proven time and time again he will deliver.
This all should not take away from Prince Fielder. Fielder is a great player. Any team in their right mind should want Fielder. In fact, the Rangers should be trying to figure a way to sign Fielder and extend Hamilton.
Fielder is three years younger than Hamilton and already has seven Major League seasons under his belt. In that time, he has amassed 19.6 WAR, blasted 230 home runs, averaged 106 RBI per season, and averaged 92 walks per season. Fielder’s slash line, .282/.390/.540, is impressive. He doesn’t strike out as much as many power hitting first basemen, but his glove may be below average.
Fielder rates a 59 on Baseball Reference’s Hall of Fame Monitor. Remember, he has played two more seasons than Hamilton. But Prince Fielder has his intangibles as well. He’s becoming a clubhouse leader, something every teams needs but most overlook. Fielder is a likable guy by all accounts too. Fans love him, and players seem to love him as well.
There is little denying that both Hamilton and Fielder are upper-echelon-caliber players. However, operating under the assumption that the Rangers truly have to make a choice between the two, they should extend Hamilton’s contract. Hamilton’s defense, his offense, his fan appeal, and his story should make him an easy choice for Texas. It’s disappointing the extension hasn’t been done yet, but understandable considering the offseason moves the team has undertaken. While I still think the Rangers can afford Prince Fielder while re-signing Josh Hamilton, they need to focus on Hamilton first.