(Image souce: Rumors and Rants)

BY JUSTIN PROCHASKA

 

ANCHOR NATHAN BYRNE

Will the Rangers get their Prince? Or will someone outbid them for baseball’s current biggest free agent prize?

Slugger Prince Fielder has yet to sign a contract but there’s speculation everywhere of where he may end up.
KING TV in Seattle reports one of the favorites may no longer afford his asking price.

“Many think Texas signing Fielder unlikely after the Rangers acquired Yu Darvish. On Friday, they introduced Darvish. The Japanese pitcher signed a six-year deal worth $56 million guaranteed.”

However, according to Rangers team president Nolan Ryan in an interview on ESPN Radio, you shouldn’t count the Rangers out yet.

“I think everybody would like to see him in your lineup. All we can see is what develops and you never know.”

In December, fellow free-agent first baseman Albert Pujols netted a 10-year, $254 million contract with the Angels. However, the market may have soured on Fielder because some of the main players of baseball free agency, like the Mets and the Dodgers, are in poor financial shape to sign him. Doug Melvin told the Montreal Gazette...

“Some of the large market teams are in transition. Where in the past they might be involved, they can’t get involved. Sometimes the market is good for players and sometimes it’s not.”

If the Rangers can’t afford Fielder, it is increasingly likely he could end up in the nation’s capital.

Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci says the Nationals will likely be able to offer more years and more money to Fielder.

“...he can probably get more money from Washington. Why? Because the Nationals need him more than Texas and because of local TV money.”

There’s always a chance a surprise team could swoop in and sign Fielder. The Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners have been discussed as potential landing spots.

However, one blogger on Yahoo! Sports doesn’t expect to see Fielder sign with Seattle.

“Regardless, the point is moot because the Mariners offense has been abysmal for the last couple of years. I doubt that Fielder is interested in coming to Seattle so he can be consistently walked.”

Who’s not interested in the slugging first baseman? The GM of the Detroit Tigers said this week his team won’t be in on the bidding. An NBC Sports report says Prince won’t be playing for the team his father spent most of his career with.

“Of course, we’d consider Prince Fielder, but realistically it’s not a good fit. We anticipate Victor Martinez coming back in 2013 and playing at the level he was at last season. I would just say that the fit is not really there at this point.”  

Where will Prince end up? Looks like it will be Fielder’s choice.