Prince Fielder: Possible Neck Surgery

[JB_Iowa]

Jeff Wilson at The Fort Worth Star-Telegram is reporting that the Texas Rangers first baseman is seriously considering a neck surgery that would end his season. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports adds that Fielder is having more MRIs on Thursday.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/report--prince-fielder--seriously-considering--season-ending-neck-surgery-192904258.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

 

 

Dave Dombrowski had great timing on this Prince.

[tobi0040]

Jeff Wilson at The Fort Worth Star-Telegram is reporting that the Texas Rangers first baseman is seriously considering a neck surgery that would end his season. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports adds that Fielder is having more MRIs on Thursday.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/report--prince-fielder--seriously-considering--season-ending-neck-surgery-192904258.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

 

 

Dave Dombrowski had great timing on this Prince.

 

Neck injury or not, I am not sure how the Tigers got rid of that contract. He was slumping and certainly is not going to age well.

[Mike Sixel]

Bummer for him and TX. And ya, who trades for that guy and contract?

[iTwins]

The Rangers had to think they'd at least get one or two years of high level production from Fielder before he broke down. (Potentially) tough break for a team experiencing a whole lot of bad luck this season.

[gil4]

I hated the trade at the time and hate it more now.

 

I don't really care about the Rangers, but I would rather have Detroit feel the pain. Cheap tix in Arlington on Stub Hub will be nice, though.

[JB_Iowa]

• Jon Morosi ‏@jonmorosi 25m
  Announced: Rangers expect Prince Fielder to undergo surgery Tuesday and miss remainder of season.
   
   
  And in more Rangers news ...
   
   
   
  
  • Bob Nightengale ‏@BNightengale 21m
    Jurickson Profar has Grade 2 strain of arm, Daniels says, which likely would end his season as well for #Rangers..
     
    BUT
     
     
     
    
    • Jeff Wilson ‏@JeffWilson_FWST 21m
      Jon Daniels says 8 to 12 more weeks on Jurickson Profar.
       
       
      So maybe not the rest of the season .... depending on how it goes.
       
       
      

     

     

   

   

[notoriousgod71]

I disagree. I thought it was a good trade for the Rangers at the time. The difference between what Fielder and Moreland should be is quite a bit greater than the difference between Kinsler and Profar. It's just bad luck for Texas that they're both out for the season.

[cmathewson]

Kinsler >> Fielder. Moreland > Profar. Tigers = win.

[gil4]

I disagree. I thought it was a good trade for the Rangers at the time. The difference between what Fielder and Moreland should be is quite a bit greater than the difference between Kinsler and Profar. It's just bad luck for Texas that they're both out for the season.

 

Kinsler is owed $57M for 2014-2017 plus $12M in2018 or a $5M buyout (Total: $62M for 4 yrs or $69M for 5 yrs.) It's a reasonable contract for the tail end of the career for a very good player who is in good shape.

 

The Rangers owe Fielder $24M per year for 2014-2015 and 18M per year for 2016-2020. (Detroit is picking up the other 6M/yr for the last 5 years.) That's $138M over 7 yrs owed by Texas to a guy who makes David Ortiz look svelte.

 

Kinsler has also been the better player:

 

Kinsler's WAR the past 5 years - 6.0, 4.0, 7.1, 2.4, 4.5 (Age 27-31)

Fielder's WAR the past 5 years - 6.3, 1.5, 4.6, 4.7, 2.0 (Age 25-29)

 

Kinsler is two years older, but I'd say the body type makes him less of a risk. Fielder was so-so last year - was that an aberration or the start of real decline (or, in hindsight, was that neck bothering him some already?)

[gil4]

The Rangers had to think they'd at least get one or two years of high level production from Fielder before he broke down. (Potentially) tough break for a team experiencing a whole lot of bad luck this season.

 

They had to have been betting on at least 4. That contract is too big to just eat more than half of it and not be seriously hurt by it.

[JB_Iowa]

Well, supposedly this type of surgery has a high rate of success.

 

The bigger concern would be whether this is just a sign of more health problems to come.