The 2013
MLB Hot Stove got off to a slow start but someone lit a match to it last Monday.
That’s when the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers shook things up trading first
baseman Prince Fielder to the Rangers for second baseman Ian Kinsler and cash.
This trade
looks to be a clear win for the Tigers as they get a .273 career hitter and
defensive wall in Kinsler while giving up someone who has widely underperformed
for Detroit.
Fielder is
a big name player and everyone expects a lot offensively out of him. While he
may look appealing offensively there are other problems with him. At a reported
275 pounds it is hard for Prince to move around in the field. He is a defensive
liability at first base. He’s found the position where he has to move the least
but even there, he has a bad stretch, he’s not quick enough to stop anything
down the line, and there are plays that make managers roll their eyes.
Another
example of Prince’s struggles came just one month ago in the ALCS against the Red
Sox. Prince rounded third too hard and was caught in a pickle between third and
home. Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who’s not fast and had full catcher’s
gear on, chased Fielder back down the line to third. When Fielder attempted to dive back to the
bag, he flopped onto the ground and was tagged out as Salty landed on top of
him. Many fans have laughed at this play but it is a perfect example of another
problem with Fielder. He can’t successfully do one of the most basic things in
baseball: the slide. With all that said though, Prince has good power numbers
and he gets on base a lot.
On the
other side of the trade Ian Kinsler, who has played with Texas his entire
career, hit .277 in 2013 with 72 RBIs. He had a fielding percentage of .978
making just 13 errors in his 124 games at second base. The Tigers will be
replacing Omar Infante at second base. Kinsler is a three-time all AL all-star.
There was
some sadness with the trade as Miguel Cabrera expressed how much he will miss
his brother-like ex-teammate by posting pictures of him and Fielder walking
together and the translation of another tweet read: “Remembering a good friend,
(wish you) all the success in the world (with your) new team. And another one
read: “To remember is to live…what unforgettable moments, my brother.”
This trade
is of local interest for Red Sox fans because many think that now that the
Rangers have Prince they won’t make a serious bid for outfielder Jacoby
Ellsbury. I find that hard to believe. The Rangers have dedicated owners who
may be willing to make a big investment. It will, however, make life harder
because anything that helps the Tigers essentially hurts the Sox. The Red Sox
and Tigers are arguably the two best teams in the American League and it looks
as though there is a well-established rivalry between them. This year’s ALCS
was an epic battle between two very closely matched teams. Small moves can make
a big difference and could easily shift the balance between these two teams.
***
On another
note, I was able to attend the Vermont Sports Hall of Fame dinner last Sunday
evening. It was a great event with a great induction class. The hall inducted
12 new members of VT sports royalty. That class included skiing gold-medalists
Barbra Cochran and Billy Kidd, basketball standout Keith Cieplicki, football
superstar Ollie Dunlap, Boston Bruins founder Charles Adams (who, believe it or
not, was actually a Vermonter), and many others. They also gave out a memorial
award in honor of their late board chair David K. Hakins. This first ever award
went to Ray Pecor, owner of the Vermont Lake Monsters. This year’s class is the
second to go into the Vermont Sports Hall. You can see the all the inductees at
this virtual hall at www.VermontSportsHall.com.
Follow Jasper Goodman
on twitter: @Jasper_Goodman
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