Prince Fielder to Detroit!

$214 million over 9 years for a DH... or is Miggy moving to third?

I think that this year they'll split DH/1st base honors. Next year when Victor Martinez is back will be interesting. Cabrera could still play 3rd I think, but whether he'd want to is another thing.

anyone else surprised that the mcdouble is cheaper now than it was in 1992?

Detroit, like the Angels, has improved and is definitely a force to be reckoned with in the AL.

The Rangers losing out on Fielder means the race for the AL Pennant will be interesting*, as opposed to the foregone conclusion it would have been otherwise.

*Interesting = Rangers win ALCS in 7, instead of in a sweep.

that's one of the worst contracts i've ever seen

I think this is a gamble for the Tigers. They're getting a great player but he's already 27 and may only have 4-5 great years left. If he falls off after that, they're looking at being strapped with his salary for 3-4 years. I get that this is MLB economics in 2012 but did these teams learn nothing from A-Rod? (re: super long term deals).

Whatever. I guess if the Tigers win a title it won't matter.

Finally, T-Baby has someone to pay the gas bill.

By which I mean, if Prince uses "So Cold (in the D)" as his at-bat music -- & he's made unconventional choices before; two, three years ago, he was using what sounded like (what I imagine) IDM (sounds like) (prolly his vegan wife's choice?) -- no hard feelings, bro. Get that money.

hard to imagine a more painful 5 years than 2016-2020. Mid-30s Fielder and Cabrera, weighing almost 600 pounds, making over $50 million, no way they hold up. Also will easily be half of the worst defensive infield in history, with at least 2 starters (and a 3rd in Jacob Turner) who are primarily ground ball pitchers. I think they had to make this move but I think in a few years this deal will make jayson werths deal look palatable.

What the fuck is that semicolon for? Die, Albert Pujols.

It' s hell of a middle line-up. I don't think it'll cripple DET too much. They have a history of questionable long term deals. I mean, that Magglio one didn't kill them. Still, they moved Cabrera to 1B for a reason.

I am going to at least one game at Wrigley this summer - can not wait!

The KING throws a perfect game. Holy Shit...what an awesome day.

Fuck Melky

Not to diminish it, but it was against the Rays, who have been perfected thrice since 2009: Mark Buehrle, Dallas Braden, & Felix Hernandez. The only irony is Tampa has had a good team for five years, now. When they truly sucked ('98-'06: Expansion Era to the Let's Screw Lou Piniella's Legacy/Hall of Fame Chances Years) they never got no-no'd, let alone perfected.

But, yes, Felix has staked his claim to best homegrown (& hopefully, to stay) Mariner hurler. Though Mark Langston might be his only competition. Good chance of eclipsing the Big Unit, as well.

Looks like the Oakland A's are coming back down to earth. Ugh

I keep waiting for a collapse. The O's keep winning enough games to stay in it.

It's pretty amazing. And now we're not even in the second wild card slot, but the first. Can we switch back to the old rules (and end the season now)?

The big difference is the run support. Its amazing to me how I feel now if we're down, compared to the last decade. Some really clutch performances, and there definitely is something happening in the clubhouse. A renewed sense of "why not?".

I don't really understand how the O's are still in it. Their starting pitching isn't that good. Adam Jones, Matt Weiters and to a lesser extent Markasis and Hardy are good players, but the offense isn't that great either. They have a negative run differential and their pathegorian record suggests they "should be" ten games under .500 rather than ten games over. I assume they must have a great record in close games. I still wouldn't bet on them making the playoffs though. They play a lot of games against fellow AL East teams the rest of the way and also play Texas and Detroit. Showalter deserves a lot of credit though and whether they make the playoffs this year or not, they have a bright future.

Definitely agree with all the above. We've been really lucky in one-run and extra inning games so far, and are likely to trend closer to .500 on those going forward. And, as you note, we have a pretty tough schedule the rest of the season.

They lead the majors in one run games with a 22-6 record.

While I agree, it's not like the other perfect games this year were against offenses any better (i.e. Astros and the Mariners).

Buck Showalter is great at turning around crappy teams in his first couple of years at the helm, then eventually grating on them to the point that they turn on him in the form of a near full-blown mutiny. He's like a temporarily successful version of Bobby Valentine.