Prince to the Tigers

[juiceweezl]

I'm not talking long-term because neither of them should get a long-term contract.

Big time players sign long term, 5 year minimum deals nowadays. It's the norm, so get used to it. Only a guy trying to make his way back would take a short term deal to try and get big bucks for longer terms the following year.

[Slowhand]

Because the consensus was the Rangers couldn't afford both. And looking at what Detroit is paying him, I agree.

Quite frankly, I don't think we should be paying for either of them. Hamilton is just a few years from done, and Fielder isn't much further behind. Hamilton at least brings a camaraderie with the fans to the table; Fielder would just bring a few extra Cowboys fans that heard a big name was coming to town.

[Slowhand]

Big time players sign long term, 5 year minimum deals nowadays. It's the norm, so get used to it. Only a guy trying to make his way back would take a short term deal to try and get big bucks for longer terms the following year.

Get used to it? How about you just don't play the game that's biting franchises all over the league in the ass and will continue to do so as long as they grant such contracts? Farm systems develop championship teams; big contract veterans can only fill in missing pieces, and they come with a variety of large financial consequences.

[Nash B.]

Big time players sign long term, 5 year minimum deals nowadays. It's the norm, so get used to it. Only a guy trying to make his way back would take a short term deal to try and get big bucks for longer terms the following year.

I'm sure Hamilton will get a big money, long term deal because there's always somebody willing to overpay, but he shouldn't. Whoever does it is going to get stuck with a blown-out, mid-thirties DH in a few years. He was out 1/4 of the season last year because he dove into home with barely any contact, and he was useless in the postseason because he pulled his groin running.

[Nash B.]

Quite frankly, I don't think we should be paying for either of them. Hamilton is just a few years from done, and Fielder isn't much further behind. Hamilton at least brings a camaraderie with the fans to the table; Fielder would just bring a few extra Cowboys fans that heard a big name was coming to town.

Agreed. Hopefully they can get Hamilton for a few years cheap, but I would rather see him leave than get a huge contract.

[Slowhand]

Agreed. Hopefully they can get Hamilton for a few years cheap, but I would rather see him leave than get a huge contract.

Agreed. I'd be more than willing, if I were John D, to bring Hamilton in for a few more years on a reasonable contract for the sake of marketing, pleasing the fans, and letting him finish out with us. But if he can get big money somewhere else then he's more than welcome to take it, and I wouldn't be offended.

[juiceweezl]

I'm sure Hamilton will get a big money, long term deal because there's always somebody willing to overpay, but he shouldn't. Whoever does it is going to get stuck with a blown-out, mid-thirties DH in a few years. He was out 1/4 of the season last year because he dove into home with barely any contact, and he was useless in the postseason because he pulled his groin running.

Maybe you missed what should have been the SERIES WINNING homerun he hit in extra innings of game 6. Perhaps you missed the balls he ran down in the gap earlier in the playoffs or his contributions to get the team there. It's pretty obvious you have no idea what you're talking about.

[mstng86]

Maybe you missed what should have been the SERIES WINNING homerun he hit in extra innings of game 6. Perhaps you missed the balls he ran down in the gap earlier in the playoffs or his contributions to get the team there. It's pretty obvious you have no idea what you're talking about.

This is true. With all those injuries, he still hit the greatest insignifcant home run in Rangers history.

[Nash B.]

Maybe you missed what should have been the SERIES WINNING homerun he hit in extra innings of game 6. Perhaps you missed the balls he ran down in the gap earlier in the playoffs or his contributions to get the team there. It's pretty obvious you have no idea what you're talking about.

This is true. With all those injuries, he still hit the greatest insignifcant home run in Rangers history.

It was also his only homerun all postseason. Pretty underwhelming for a clutch power hitter.

[juiceweezl]

Get used to it? How about you just don't play the game that's biting franchises all over the league in the ass and will continue to do so as long as they grant such contracts? Farm systems develop championship teams; big contract veterans can only fill in missing pieces, and they come with a variety of large financial consequences.

Free agency is what it is, and it's not going to go away. You build winners through the farm system, but you build champions by adding in the proper free agents that come with the farm raised talent. The Atlanta Braves are the exemplary model of this. They never went out and added big time guys to their stockpile in the 90's and early 2000's. As a result, they have 1 World Series title and a ton of division titles.

If you want to get picky about it, Josh has played all but 1 of his major league seasons in Texas. He's basically the same as a guy like Elvis or Kinsler. Those are the guys you're supposed to sign because you can get them cheaper. If you want to look at why the Rangers and how they made the World Series the last two years, look at these 3 names and tell me what they have in common: Cliff Lee, Mike Napoli, Adrian Beltre.

Furthermore, if you think farm systems are loaded with guys of Hamilton's talent level, you're sorely mistaken. He's 6'4" and 240 pounds. That's a huge guy and yet he runs like a guy that's 180 pounds. There's a reason he was drafted first overall -- because he had that kind of talent.

I can't believe anyone is arguing that Fielder is anywhere close to Hamilton.

[Nash B.]

I can't believe anyone believes that Hamilton will play out the end of a long-term contract.

[juiceweezl]

It was also his only homerun all postseason. Pretty underwhelming for a clutch power hitter.

13 RBI in 17 post season games last fall including 6 in the World Series. Call it what you want, but underwhelming is not correct. Alas you guys forget that the people on the other side of the field are the best of the rest as well. He's clutch and capable of carrying a team.

[juiceweezl]

I can't believe anyone believes that Hamilton will play out the end of a long-term contract.

Set a reminder to check back to here in 5 years. If you're talking about a 9 year deal, then neither player is worth it. I wouldn't sign anyone to more than a 5 year deal. Hamilton is worth a 5 year deal or a 4 year deal with a club option on the 5th. If he won't agree to that, then the Rangers will let him walk or trade him this season. That's the way this works.

[Slowhand]

Set a reminder to check back to here in 5 years. If you're talking about a 9 year deal, then neither player is worth it. I wouldn't sign anyone to more than a 5 year deal. Hamilton is worth a 5 year deal or a 4 year deal with a club option on the 5th. If he won't agree to that, then the Rangers will let him walk or trade him this season. That's the way this works.

I've got $500 (quite seriously) that says Hamilton doesn't play more than 500 games in any 5 year contract he signs.

[Vertnut]

I've got $500 (quite seriously) that says Hamilton doesn't play more than 500 games in any 5 year contract he signs.

Hell, I have to agree. That's a sucker's bet. Of course I've always been skeptical and though he was soft. Maybe all those years of poisoning his body has caught up.