Mike Murray Interview: Giants Slugging Prospect – Baseball Runs in the Family
Sunday January 29, 2012
MLB reports – Jonathan Hacohen: Welcome to the world of Mike Murray! You think we love baseball? This guy grew up in the game! From a father that played pro ball, a brother who was drafted and a sister who captained her university softball team- to say baseball is in his genes is an understatement. Murray is a catcher in the Giants organization. To be a catcher and control a baseball game, you know that he has baseball smarts. He came to the Giants in 2010, playing in two different levels. Last year, Murray played the entire season with the Salem-Keizer Volcanos in the Northwest League. How are the numbers you ask? Good. Really…really…good! In the field, Murray has proven to be a solid defensive catcher. A .980 fielding percentage, to go along with a 33% caught stealing in his career thus far. But the real magic has been at the plate. A .331 lifetime BA. .394 OBP. Last year, Mike had close to a 1:1 walk/strikeout ratio (28/37). A lifetime .460 SLG. Last year, he popped 6 home runs in only 63 games. At the age of 23, we expect to see Mike Murray in AA Richmond very soon (how does 2012 sound?)
An intelligent young man beyond his years, I can tell that Mike has received a great education. Both in the college classroom (Wake Forest Dean’s List!), as well as at home. He is grounded, yet confident. He has shown great potential, yet continues to want to learn. If baseball smarts and determination were the 6th tool, Mike Murray would rate an 80 on my scale. Watch out Buster Posey, there is yet another talented catcher rising up the Giants ranks! Mike is showing that San Francisco really knows how to scout and develop solid all-around catchers. With stories of Buster Posey moving to another position one day a real possibility, San Francisco is ready to groom the next top starting catcher from its farm. It might be behind the plate, first base or outfield. But with his slugging bat, Mike Murray is making a statement that he deserves his shot one day- regardless of position.
When all is said and done, to top it all off: Mike will one day be heading to law school and eventually work his way up to a GM role in baseball. The future Billy Beane in the making? We will have to wait to find out, as Mike still has many years left of grinding left on the diamond. Today on MLB reports, meet one of the brightest prospects coming up the San Francisco Giants system – Mike Murray:
MLB reports: Who was your favorite baseball player growing up, that you most idolized and patterned your game after?
Mike Murray: Growing up I was a huge fan of Paul O’Neill. I loved the passion and intensity he had when he played. I always felt as a fan that you knew you were always getting his best, which is something I try to think about when I play. As a hitter, I loved the way he used the whole field and never took at bats off. My first MLB game growing up was in 1995 when he received his batting title from the strike shortened season at Yankee Stadium.
MLB reports: Which current MLB star do you most admire and why?
Mike Murray: Derek Jeter. I was 8 years old when he broke in, and was very lucky to grow up in baseball through his career. I appreciate how seriously he takes himself, the game, and his role in baseball. I believe that one of the most important things about being a player is being reliable for your teammates. You always know that Jeter is going to be prepared and will go through a wall to help win games.
MLB reports: Reflecting on your career to-date, what are your proudest accomplishments on the baseball field?
Mike Murray: In the summer of 2002 my dad took my siblings and me up to Cape Cod for a vacation to see a few Cape League games. The first night we found the Chatham vs. Orleans game. I remember my dad talking to me about the league and how cool it would be to get to play in it. In 2009 my dad and siblings got to come to Fenway and watch me represent Chatham in the All-Star game. That night was special for me.
On the pro side, my first night in the Northwest league in 2010, I hit a home run in the ninth with two outs that was the game winner. It was my first professional home run, one that I will always remember.
MLB reports: What are your goals going into the 2012 season?
Mike Murray: My first goal going into camp is to break with the San Jose club. Many of the Giants high round picks from last spring and top performers from the Sally league will already be slated to SJ, so competition to make the club will be for a few spots. As a hitter my goals always stay the same, to keep my approach consistent and produce runs. I have been working a bit more this off-season on getting consistent power and backspin. As I defender, I have been working out a lot at first base and also doing some outfield work. It is still an adjustment not doing a ton behind the plate, but I’ll be prepared to get at-bats wherever I can and wherever in the field that means.
MLB reports: What was the process like signing with the Giants in 2010?
Mike Murray: I felt like coming off of a real good summer in the Cape League and following it up with a really solid senior campaign at Wake Forest that I had positioned myself pretty well for the draft. As it worked out, the teams that showed the most interest in me ended up taking catchers earlier in the draft and it didn’t work out on draft day. About 4 or 5 days later, I got a call from Giants’ area scout Jeremy Cleveland with a contract offer. That phone call was a relief knowing I was going to get the opportunity to play professionally. It was also a challenge to prove the Giants right and a whole lot of other people wrong. It drives me each day I am on the field.
MLB reports: What do you consider your greatest baseball skill(s)?
Mike Murray: My best skill on the field I have is what I do in the batter’s box. Everybody that plays professional baseball has some talent as a hitter, and I do believe I am a talented hitter as well. What I think is more important is that I have a good understanding of my swing, my approach, and how to adjust those things at bat to at-bat, game to game. I try to think like a catcher when I hit, thinking of how I would try to get myself out if I were calling pitches. So much of hitting is your approach and confidence, and whether it is true or not, I always believe I am going to win that battle with the pitcher each at-bat.
MLB reports: What facets of your game do you most wish to improve upon?
Mike Murray: I am working at a couple of new positions for me. I have been a catcher primarily for my whole life, and I feel extremely comfortable and understand the nuances of catching from experience. As I am learning first base and the corner outfield, it is all about the repetition for me in learning the intricacies of the positions I am learning now. Getting acclimated at first base especially has been a focus of my offseason.
MLB reports: How do strikeouts and walks figure into your game? Do you see any of these items changing over time and to what degree?
Mike Murray: I have always absolutely hated striking out. The high school stat I was most proud of was that I only had 12 strikeouts in over 350 plate appearances in my career. I think I hate striking out to the point that I won’t even give up a few more strikeouts to hit more home runs. One of the adjustments I have tried to make as a hitter is being ok striking out a few times more if it translates into more extra base hits. Our player development staff always preaches that 50% of all at-bats come with two strikes, so you better have a good approach with two strikes.
I think that a good approach with two strikes and a good amount of walks are stats directly correlated to how good a hitter is in his pitch selection. The pitchers we face are too good to help out. I never go into a game trying to walk, as I think that takes away from how aggressive you need to be successful, but you have to make sure you are aggressive at pitches in the zone. If I can be consistent doing that, I will be happy with where my walk and strikeout numbers end up.
MLB reports: Long term do you see yourself staying behind the plate considering Buster Posey is the current starting catcher? How do you view your role in the organization?
Mike Murray: Piggybacking on what I mentioned earlier, I see my career moving forward more as a part-time catcher and more so in first base, DH, left field roles. Even deeper then Buster, the Giants have done an outstanding job getting great catching depth in the minor leagues. Hector Sanchez, Tommy Joseph, Jeff Arnold, Dan Burkhart are all guys I have worked with and played with that do a great job behind the dish. I haven’t gotten to see any of second round pick Andrew Susac, but all I hear is great things.
I’ll help out whenever I need to or can behind the plate, but I know my role in the organization is to hit my way through it, and work to become a solid enough defender wherever there is a spot available.
MLB reports: How do you see defense as part of your overall game?
Mike Murray: I always took a lot of pride in being a reliable backstop for my pitchers and my teams in college and summer ball. As I mentioned, the Giants catching depth hasn’t provided for a ton of opportunities behind home plate, so my focus is on taking the same amount of work ethic from behind the plate into becoming a better defender elsewhere on the field.
MLB reports: If you had to look into a crystal ball, when do you see your expected time of arrival in the big leagues and what do you think you need to do most to get there?
Mike Murray: I would love to have an answer to this question other than I have no idea… but no idea is about as honest as I can be. One of the things about being a Free Agent and not being a huge bonus guy is that you have to prove yourself each and every day and each and every season. I don’t think I would want it any other way.
I understand that signing for more money or in a higher round buys you opportunities and that those types of guys have more equity to cash in if they have a below average year. I don’t have that luxury and that drives me to produce each and everyday. I have no plans of having a down year at any point. I will grind my way to really productive offensive seasons and see where that lands me.
MLB reports: Has pro ball been everything you expected it to be thus far?
Mike Murray: Pro ball has been mostly what I expected. There are certainly nights where you are sleeping on a bus floor that you ask yourself if you are crazy. But you usually wake up knowing you are where you are supposed to be and appreciate the opportunity.
MLB reports: What do you do for fun when you are not playing baseball? Best friend(s) on the team that you most hang out with and what do you guys like to do to chill?
Mike Murray: In the offseason I chase around my dog, pick shows to catch up on Netflix, do a lot of reading, and spend a good bit of time in New York City.
I have been fortunate to have some great pro ball teammates. The great thing about pro ball is that your teammates come from such broad backgrounds. As a four-year college guy and graduate, my perspective is different from a JC guy, HS guy, or an international sign that is in the country for the first or second summer.
Now that we all have twitter, we are able to keep in pretty good touch over the offseason. I spend most of off-season texting back and forth with Garrett Buechele over our fantasy sports troubles and recently headed down to Philly with Joe Panik for the Winter Classic to root on the Blue Shirts.
MLB reports: A .331 lifetime average going into the season. A .394 OBP last year. You can hit and you can take walks. We are intrigued- what has been the secret to your success thus far?
Mike Murray: Being a college senior sign after four years presents its challenges as a prospect. You go in with less investment from the Club and a bit older than people may like for prospects. However, my college career in the ACC, Cape Cod, NECBL, and Valley League have prepared me well to succeed in pro ball. I had over 800 at bats in those four years against big leaguers, first rounders, and really talented guys. The experience I have as a hitter has made the transition to pro ball that much easier.
I talk a lot with some of our younger hitters in the organization about approach, staying positive, learning their swings, and I always tell them how much respect I have for them making the jump from High School or after a year of college. My experiences in college really taught me how to fail and succeed and the best way to put myself in a position to be more successful. I don’t know if I would be the same hitter if I didn’t have those experiences where I did.
MLB reports: Do you have a favorite pre-game meal?
Mike Murray: The favorite pre-game meal has everything to do with where I am. When I was in the NWL this past summer, my roommates and I made a habit of finding our way to Big Town Hero for our pre-game meal. When in Scottsdale, there is no better place to start your day then at the Breakfast Club.
MLB reports: Final Thoughts?
Mike Murray: Just figured I’d give you a little more personal information in final thoughts…
I graduated in 2010 from Wake Forest university with a degree in Political Science and History. I was an ACC Honor Roll and Dean’s List student, and captain of the Wake Forest baseball team. I deferred admission into law school when I signed to play professional baseball. When I am done playing I am going to go to law school, with the hopes of eventually getting into the front office and becoming a GM.
My dad played minor league ball in the Chicago White Sox organization. My younger brother was drafted last year by the Houston Astros, but decided instead to enroll at Georgia Tech. He is a freshmen catcher there and was last year’s New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year. My younger sister was the Captain of the University of Maryland’s softball team last year and also is a catcher.
Thank you MLB reports! M.M.
Jonathan Hacohen is the Lead Baseball Columnist & Editor for MLB reports: You can follow Jonathan on Twitter (@JHacohen)
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The Future of Alfredo Simon
Sunday January 29th, 2012
Sam Evans: Alfredo Simon has not had the Major League career that most people grew up dreaming about. He’s never maintained success in his four years in the big leagues, plus he was accused of murdering a man during the last offseason. Luckily for Simon, he has a chance to be a starter in Baltimore’s talent-deprived rotation. He is still a promising player with a good build and a fastball that can touch up to 95 MPH.
Simon should be an inspiration to all minor league players. He spent seven years in the minors before he ever reached the majors. During those seven minor league years, he played for the Rangers, Orioles, Dodgers, Phillies, and the Giants. Simon never posted amazing minor league numbers and had problems with his offspeed pitches. What kept Simon on teams was his fastball in the upper 90′s and positive veteran influence. In 2008, Simon finally got his chance. The Orioles called him up to the majors and gave him a chance to showcase his abilities against major league hitters.
When Alfredo Simon signed with the Phillies over ten years ago, he claimed to be almost two years younger than he was, as he went by the name Carlos Cabrera. This wasn’t a huge deal, but eventually the information about Simon’s name and age was released to the public. Little did Simon know, this was just the start of his legal issues. Last year, on New Year’s, Simon was accused of killing Michel Castillo Almonte and wounding his own brother. As the story was told, the locals were all bringing in the New Year at a huge party, with Simon celebrated by firing his gun into the air twice. I’m not a lawyer, but this seems very suspicious. If Simon was firing his gun up into the air, how did he kill someone? I don’t speak very fluent spanish, but according to a Dominican news telecast, Simon was at a street block filled with hundreds of people, away from Almonte at the time of the murder.
The justice system in the Dominican Republic is far from perfect. Simon could have just paid off people to cover this up after he actually did murder Almonte. Or this could have been a misunderstanding or tragic accident. However, the court found indisputable evidence that Simon was not the murderer. He had approximately three hundred witnesses testifying his innocence. What I find amusing is that almost all of them showed up for the court appearance, dressed in Orioles gear and Simon’s jerseys. On November 8th, Simon was acquitted of all charges of involuntary manslaughter.
Back to baseball, Simon has never been able to maintain success for long periods of time in the majors. He has shown glimpses of being an electric closer at times. He’s also had moments where he looks like a potential innings-eater starter. Nobody, even Simon, knows where this talented veteran will fit into the Orioles roster. Whether it’s as a starter, or as a late-inning bullpen arm, Simon could be a breakout player in 2012. Or he could end up on waivers.
Simón can still heat up the radar gun, even now at age thirty. Last year, his average fastball was 94.4MPH. He threw his fastball almost 1 MPH faster in 2010, but that’s likely because he was used out of the bullpen. Speaking of 2010, that was the year when Orioles fans got to see the potential of this 6’6” giant. Due to a Mike Gonzalez injury, and a dreadful Orioles bullpen, Alfredo Simón was name the O’s closer. Simon took complete advantage of the situation and he finished with 17 saves in 21 chances. 
Simon’s peripherals suggest that he has been consistently getting lucky during his time in Baltimore. He has a 5.23 career FIP, but only a 4.19 career SIERA (Skill-Interactive ERA). Simon is starting to look like another pitcher who consistently outperforms what their sabermetrical numbers suggest they should be. Sabermetrics are far from perfected statistics always and they could be misleading, in terms of Simon’s production.
In 2011, Simon returned to starting pitching. He had sixteen starts and he threw more innings in one year (115.2), than he’d thrown since 2007. He still missed time due to hamstring issues, but overall, Simon threw some quality ballgames for Baltimore. Eight of his sixteen starts were for six innings or more. If Simon can perfect his offspeed pitches better, I could see him having a Carlos Silva in 2004-esue year. That’d make him one of the Orioles best pitchers and he would then be due for a payday in 2013.
Recently, both Manager Buck Showalter, and General Manager Dan Duquette, have made it clear that they want to have players competing in Spring Training for a spot in the Orioles rotation. According to Orioles beat writer, Brittany Ghiroli, Simon has lost ten pounds this offseason and he’s been preparing to be a starter. There will be approximately eleven players competing for five spots in the Orioles rotation this spring. Fortunately for Simon, the majority of them are not very good.
If the Orioles coaching staff can ameliorate Simon into a starter who goes deep into games, without losing his velocity or blocking a younger prospect, then they will have gem of a pitcher at a fraction of the cost of most top starting pitchers. I really do believe in Simon’s capabilities. He has the potential and given that he has a good opportunity coming up this spring, I don’t see any reason why he can’t spend the entire year in the Orioles rotation (health permitting).
If starting doesn’t work out for Simon, he can still be an effective late-inning arm. The Orioles need to develop their pitchers better and stop messing with their roles. They can tell Simon if they want him to be a starter, or a reliever, but the worst thing they can do is have him switch back and forth. For Simon’s career, it’s now or never. 2012 will be the most important year of his career and the Orioles need him to produce at the Major-League level so that they don’t have to rush their young prospects any further.
***Today’s feature was prepared by our Baseball Writer, Sam Evans. We highly encourage you to leave your comments and feedback at the bottom of the page and share in the discussion with our readers. You can also follow Sam on Twitter***
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The Top Ten Reasons Why Prince Fielder Signing with the Tigers will Work
Saturday January 28, 2012
Jonathan Hacohen: On Thursday it became official. January 26, 2012 will forever be known as the day that Prince Fielder came home. We all know the story. Hitting home runs out of Tiger Stadium at the age of 12, Prince Fielder was a baseball legend from a very tender age. The former Brewers slugger hit the jackpot though, as the Tigers inked him to a 9-year, $214 million contract. At the age of 27, Prince already has 230 career home runs. Think about that one. Six full seasons in the big leagues. Close to forty home runs average per year. A man who has taken 100+ walks each of the last three years. Career .282 AVG. .390 OBP. .540 SLG. Plus he is still 27-years of age. The time in a player’s life when they are just entering their prime. If Prince has not hit his full stride yet…then watch out American League pitchers!
For a homecoming that seemed forever in doubt, the end result was a signing that felt right. Given the strained relationship between father and son, most suspected that Prince would not want to come to Detroit. The connections and comparisons to his dad would just be too much for him to handle. For a man who seemed to be very private and low-key, a Detroit signing seemed to contradict what he was seeking. But yesterday, Prince’s childhood dream did come true. Father and son according to reports are repairing their relationship. While it would have been nice to have seen Cecil at today’s press conference, it was not to be. Once Victor Martinez got injured, the Tigers came calling. Mike Ilitch, who knew Prince from when he was a young boy, wanted the young slugger in Detroit. After missing Prince by 1 selection in the 2002 draft, Ilitch was not going to let Prince escape again. The result was the cleanup hitter behind Miguel Cabrera that the team has dreamed of and the lifetime contract of security that Fielder and his agent, Scott Boras sought.
With a contract of this magnitude, there will always be debates, speculation and doubt. To help shed some light and clear up the confusion, I went ahead and prepared my top-ten list of reasons why the Prince Fielder Contract will work in Detroit.
I see this as a very smart signing by the Tigers and here are my reasons why:
1) Health and Durability: In six full seasons, Prince has missed a total of thirteen games. That’s it. For all the talk of weight, this is the modern-day Cal Ripken. Prince is a lot stronger and athletic than people give him credit for. Some consider a contract to be paid based on past experiences, while some believe it should be on future potential. In five years, Prince will only be 32. Based on his track history, it is expected that he should continue his iron-man type legacy for at least half of his contract…maybe more. Until proven otherwise, Prince is reliable and comes to the park to play everyday. There is value in durability, especially in a slugger of this magnitude.
2) The Power Bat: As shown earlier, the numbers are there. Averaging close to 40 home runs per year for his first six seasons. With more to come. Looking at his home/road splits over the years, he varied year to year. I am not sold that Prince was entirely dependant on Miller Park, as he hit well most years away from home. While Comerica is a less hitter friendly park, it surely will not hold Prince back much. Playing in front of the home town crowd, Prince should thrive in Detroit as well. Prince could very well hit 400+ home runs over the next 9-years. Time will tell. But from what he has shown so far, there is no slowing down. Heck, even Cecil hit 17 home runs in his last season at the age of 35. Clearly it can be done.
3) Age: Prince will be 28 in May 2012. For a power hitter of his stature, we should still see 5-6 prime years from him, with the potential to put up strong numbers right up until the end of the contract. While many stars still sign big contracts well into their 30′s, Prince is still in the prime of his life. Compared to Albert Pujols (even without the age uncertainty), Prince is a young slugger playing in his key years. Perfect for a team that plans to make a playoff runs for the next few years.
4) Consistency: Look at Prince’s numbers every year since he started to play full-time in the majors. The numbers speak for themselves, he has been as consistent as they come with no signs of slowing down.
5) Legacy: Many felt Prince would not sign with the Tigers, with the rationale that he wanted nothing to do with his father and to as separated from him as possible. My theory is that Prince actually craves the notion of going onto his father’s turf and breaking all of his records. To become the #1 Fielder in Tigers’ history. The Fielder name on the back of a Tigers jersey is legendary. To have Prince in Detroit now, he will be cementing his place in major league history. Success in Detroit will lead to endorsements beyond Prince’s wild imagination and a greater chance at the hall of fame. Not many people would have remembered Washington once Prince retired, had he played there. But after his career is done in Detroit, few will likely remember him as a Brewer. That is how powerful the Detroit and Fielder connection is.
6) Father and Son: If you haven’t done it already, check out the video at the top of this article to view the full press conference. Notice something interesting? Prince has his son with him the whole time. Remind you of anyone? That’s right. Prince and Cecil. The two were inseparable. I like this signing on a personal level for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it allows Prince to come home and play for the team and city that he spent much of his childhood with. Prince will be able to share the same experiences with his own son that he got to experience as a youngster. But mostly, I can only see this move as a strong indication of the progress and repair to the relationship between Prince and his own father. Considering that his dad raised him, taught him the game and made him into the player and man that he is today, in a perfect world it would have been a beautiful moment to see Prince and Cecil together at the Tigers’ press conference. While that may not have happened, I expect to see the day when the two will be hanging out together at Comerica Park. Three generations of Fielders in Detroit. The way it was meant to be.
7) Miguel Cabrera: Probably the only person happier about this signing besides Prince, Scott Boras and Cecil, would be Miguel Cabrera. While he did enjoy good protection in the lineup from Martinez last year and Ordonez in previous years, having Prince hit behind him will take Miggy to another level. Miggy’s walks have been jumping like mad in the last couple years, given that he has been the Tigers main offensive threat and fave choice of pitchers to pitch around. With Fielder in Detroit, Miggy has the potential to put up even greater numbers if that is possible. Look at what Prince did for Braun. With Miggy and Prince batting 3-4, teams will definitely have difficult choices to make.
8) V-Mart and Alex Avila: Avila, who will turn 25 tomorrow (happy birthday Alex!) had a season for the ages in 2011. The Tigers pitchers were on fire and loved how he called games. Blocked pitches. Threw out runners. Then there was the offense. .389 OBP. .506 SLG. 19 home runs. 82 RBIs. If he wasn’t the best catcher in baseball, he was at the very least top three. This was all done for the most part batting near the bottom of the Tigers lineup. Now imagine him batting 2nd next year. Batting in front of Miggy and Prince, Avila could have a .450 OBP or higher. Avila, like much of the Tigers hitters will greatly improve by having Prince in the lineup. Then come 2013, when V-Mart is in the lineup, the Tigers lineup will become nearly unstoppable. Miggy, Prince, Avila and V-Mart…all in the same lineup? I am practically drooling.
9) The Price is Right: Once upon a time, Vernon Wells signed a 7-year $126 million contract. Approximately $18 million per season. Jayson Werth with nearly the same deal. Pujols signed for 10 years $240 million. Pujols is also 32 (in Dominican years). Even if he is only 32, when Pujols turns 36 he will only be 5 years into his deal. At age 36, Prince will be done his. Werth will be 38 when his deal is done. Wells will be 36. The point is that there are many worse contracts out there. Compared to Wells and Werth, Prince is younger and far more consistent and productive. While Pujols is Pujols, you have to feel a bit edgy about his chances of completing his monster deal. Prince is a slugger and still has many more key years left. Considering what some of the other top contracts looked like, Prince money is not far off to what the elite are supposed to receive. At least in the case of Prince, compared to Werth and Wells, he had the track record to earn what he received. Relatively to the other “stars” I mean.
10) World Series: The Detroit Tigers of 2006 and 2011 really stick out in my mind. Two ballclubs that really needed an injection of runs to get over the hump. Especially last year’s edition. The squad had Verlander and Fister to start, with Valverde and the bullpen to keep the team close in games. But the team needed far more pop, other than Cabrera, Avila and V-Mart. Now with Prince, the team has the potential to challenge for baseball supremacy for the next 5+ years. Few players are difference makers. Prince is one of those players. Look at the Giants with Barry Bonds in the lineup. They always a had a chance. That is the biggest reason I saw the Giants being the team to grab Prince. I got the orange color right, but not the league. With such a high payroll and great band of stars and supporting players, the Tigers were seemingly one piece away from going to the World Series last year. Now hopefully, Prince is that missing piece to complete the Tigers playoff puzzle.
Without a doubt, some people have concerns about this signing. Most of the criticism falls around the dollars involved, length of contract, Prince’s weight and defensive questions. Let me answer those questions quickly. Firstly, the pay is the pay. The going rate for an elite superstar hitter is $20+ million per season. The number is still rising believe it or not. Remember, Prince will be only 28 this season. If he became a free agent in say 3 years, what would the market price be then? The dollars per year is market rate, whether we like it or not. As far as length of contract, by year 6- Prince will still be 33. Still very young in baseball terms. So the question for me is not the total length of contract, but the production the Tigers will receive in years 7-9. But even in the worst case and the Tigers get superstar numbers for approximately 6 years and decent numbers for the last 3, the contract will still make sense. If the Tigers win it all in any of those years, then nobody will even remember the contract. All they will remember is the ring and trophy.
As far as Prince’s weight and defense, I will say this. I have already shown in this article Prince’s durability. Not one issue was made of Prince’s weight in the press conference or by the team. Prince is a big man, no doubt. But he is a good athlete who is in much better shape than he is given credited for. As long as he is not missing games and his production is of an elite level, people should not be concerned. We are not trying to sell jeans people…we are trying to win ballgames. Lastly, I think Prince gets an unfair label from a defensive standpoint. While he may never win a gold glove and has the occasional lapse, for the most part he does the job. He works hard on the defensive aspect of his game. Moving Miggy to 3B or the OF is not a reflection on Miggy being an inferior 1B candidate. Rather, Miggy has experience at other positions and is still young enough to conquer them again. Prince did not sign this deal to be a DH. Yes, it will be an advantage to have him DH in back-to-back night/day games and for occasional breathers. But Prince is still young and capable. Like most young players, you don’t want them to strictly DH, since it takes them off the field and out of the game in many cases (see Adam Dunn). Prince will get the job done and having him at his natural position will make him most comfortable and likely productive. That is a good thing for the Tigers. At the end of the day, I have one last message for any last doubters left. Mike Ilitch just spent $214 million of his money, without hurting his ballclub. It’s his money and he can afford it. At the end of the day, this is not my money or yours. It’s the Tigers cash. If they want to spend it on Prince, all the power to them. This article addresses why the signing will work and makes sense. But ultimately, the Tigers wanted Prince from the time he was 12 and now he is home. Welcome back to Detroit Prince. Enjoy him Tigers fans…you are getting a bona fide superstar coming to your town.
Jonathan Hacohen is the Lead Baseball Columnist & Editor for MLB reports: You can follow Jonathan on Twitter (@JHacohen)
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
