On Tuesday, the Detroit Tigers shocked the world by signing free agent and former Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder to a lucrative nine year deal worth $214 million.

As rapper/producer, Kanye West, so eloquently put it, “And if they hate let ‘em hate. And watch the money pile up, the good life.”

It’s not uncommon-place to hear people say the Tigers made a ridiculous move, but here’s why Brewers fans should be happy for the guy who established himself as a franchise great in Milwaukee over the past seven years.

Those Milwaukee fans who thought Fielder should have stayed in Milwaukee for less money are just crazy. Not only did Fielder deserve top-notch free agent money, he earned every single penny of his $214 million dollar contract. Might I remind you of his career stats; .282 batting average, 230 home-runs, 656 runs batted in, .540 slugging percentage, .390 on-base percentage and 996 hits.

In his seven years with the team, Fielder helped create memories that will endure in Milwaukee for a long-time.

Ever since his rookie year in 2006, the guy has smashed balls out of Miller Park, including a franchise record 18 during that season. He followed his solid rookie season with a MLB-best 50 home-runs in the midst of a MVP-caliber season in 2007. Next, he became more of a complete player over the next four years by learning how to draw walks and boost his on-base percentage. Not only was he impressive on the offensive end, he became a mainstay at first-base, almost never missing a game during the long baseball season.

This all culminated with a 2011 season where Prince and MVP Ryan Braun helped lead the Brewers to their first division title in twenty five years. Fielder earned MVP honors at the All-Star game and finished third behind teammate Braun in the MVP voting at the end of the season.

Rumors swirled as no one was really sure where Fielder would end up. Everyone, including the Brewers, knew the guy was going to get paid, but no one was sure whether he would get that desired long-term deal. His agent Scott Boras came through in the clutch with Detroit.

The Tigers 82 year old owner, Mike Ilitch, is obviously all-in with this move because his roster is stacked. It contains power-hitters Maguel Cabrera and Fielder as well as MVP/Cy Young Winner Justin Verlander.

Unlike during most of his tenure in Milwaukee, Fielder can finally feel he has a team built for a World Series run. It’s also nice for Milwaukee that they won’t have to face Fielder with him playing in the American League.

The only thing that could bother Fielder with his new team are the obvious comparisons to his father Cecil Fielder who played the most of his career (1990-96) in Detroit. But, at the same time,  it could be a good thing because Fielder spent a great deal of his childhood in the Motor City.

For those many critics who believe Fielder is a great deal in the short-term, but a huge risk in the long-term are also crazy. Fielder has a great work ethic and has done nothing during his young career that would make you think he won’t continue to get better. He’s also a decent defender, even though he’s given no credit for his consistent play at first base.

I foresee Fielder making many more All-Star games, hitting a ton of home-runs and winning at least one MVP award during his career. I also expect the Tigers to win at least one World Series in the next couple of years.

As a Brewers fan, that’s all the more reasons to root for Fielder, someone who transformed from that really big kid to a beast of a man in the Milwaukee uniform.

Good luck to the Prince in Detroit!

What do you think of Prince Fielder’s deal with the Detroit Tigers? Do you see him having a successful career like I do? Let me know by commenting below!

Nick Grays is a senior writer at the Sports Bank where he covers the Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, and Milwaukee Brewers. He also enjoys to share Fantasy Advice from time-to-time. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here or visit his blog Nick Knows Best.

The Detroit Tigers have agreed t0 terms with 3-time All-Star 1B Prince Fielder on a 9-year, $214 million deal (multiple reports via SportsCenter tweet)

So there you go- the Milwaukee Brewers will officially be Princeless this year. But you knew that already. The signs were obvious. And the Tigers are now the hands-down favorite in both the AL Central and the American League in general. In fact, they’re likely to be #1 in all spring training MLB power rankings now.

We’ll probably have another post on this soon.

The Detroit Tigers announced Tuesday that star designated hitter Victor Martinez tore his left ACL last week during offseason conditioning. An MRI yesterday confirmed the injury. Surgery is expected, and it is thought that he will miss the entire 2012 MLB season.

Martinez hit .330 with 103 RBIs in 2011, helping Detroit win the AL Central in his first season with the Tigers. He signed a $50 million, four-year contract before last season.

I guess you can say the AL Central is much more open now. The Tigers, and one of Martinez’s former teams, the Cleveland Indians, are expected to be the favorites.

From the AP:

Although he spent some time on the disabled list early in the season with a right groin problem, Martinez was still able to play 145 games…It’s been a quiet offseason so far for the Tigers, who added reliever Octavio Dotel but kept their everyday lineup largely intact. With Martinez out, they might need to make another move to replace his bat. The pressure will also fall on Cabrera, catcher Alex Avila and shortstop Jhonny Peralta to repeat the productive seasons they had at the plate in 2011.

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too

In a tumultuous off-season for the Chicago Cubs, there have been a slew of players who have found themselves on the outside looking in with the new regime of Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer doing some serious housecleaning. Aramis Ramirez has departed to Milwaukee, Carlos Pena won’t be brought back by the club, and Carlos Zambrano, Tyler Colvin, Sean Marshall, and Andrew Cashner have all been dealt away. One free agent, however, has Cubs fans torn between their loyalty to him and their willingness to allow the new baseball brain trust to shape the team as they see fit.

Kerry Wood may not have had the greatest 2011 season (3.35 ERA, 3-5 record, and a 1.29 WHIP in 55 innings), but his impact on the franchise goes far beyond just what he does on the mound. He spent the first 11 years of his career with the Cubs, and even though he left for a couple of years to pitch for the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees, his heart never left the franchise. Legendary now is the story of how he approached then General Manager Jim Hendry after the funeral of Ron Santo and said he’d want to come back to the organization. That led to a cheap $1.5 million contract that Wood signed in spite of receiving more lucrative offers from the White Sox and Red Sox.

Now, with Cubs Convention fast approaching and several teams expressing interest in Wood’s services, it isn’t certain whether or not he will return to the franchise next season. The Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds are known to be interested in Wood, but the Cubs are not taking any chances apparently. According to a statement made by Hoyer today, the Cubs have offered the veteran a “substantial raise” over his last contract. Considering that Wood is requesting $4 million, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Cubs were close to that threshold.

The wait to find out as to whether or not they are going to bring him back will not be a long one. According to what Wood told NBC-5 Chicago, he will make his decision by Friday, which is also the Opening Ceremony of the Cubs Convention. The question, of course, is whether or not the Cubs will end up getting Wood back after what have been described in some corners as acrimonious discussions. The other question is whether or not the Cubs SHOULD re-sign Wood.

To start with the second question, there is little doubt that the Cubs should bring Wood back. After all, they dealt their primary set-up man in Marshall to the Reds, so they are going to need a veteran to shore up the back end of their bullpen to bridge the gap to Carlos Marmol. Granted, the Cubs probably aren’t going to win a ton of games anyway, but even though that’s the case, they still need a guy they can count on in the 7^th and 8^th innings, and that’s what Wood can give them.

Perhaps even more importantly than the actual on-field impact Wood will make, there are the off-field intangibles that he brings to the table. He is a clubhouse leader on a team that is in desperate need of one with all of the high-profile departures over the last few months, and he is viewed by many as the current day incarnation of Ernie Banks, ie Mr. Cub. There is little doubt that he is the face of the franchise in the view of fans of the club, and that kind of popularity would make parting with the Texan particularly difficult.

Ultimately, Wood is going to have to decide whether he wants to change teams in order to join a contender at his advanced age, or whether he wants to remain a Cub for at least this season to see where the rebuilding process takes the team. No one would blame him if he ended up chasing a ring, similarly to the way that Karl Malone and Gary Payton did when they joined the Los Angeles Lakers after long careers elsewhere. It wouldn’t surprise anyone, however, to see Wood pull a Steve Nash and remain with his team despite the lack of legitimate playoff chances.

We are going to have to wait and see whether or not Wood chases the money or stays at home where most fans feel he belongs, but one thing is for certain in Cubdom: in an era where the fans are being asked to be patient with a new regime, asking them to do that with the Wood negotiations might just be a mistake.

The last time a Detroit Tigers pitcher (Willie Hernandez- 1984) won the AL Cy Young award, Justin Verlander was a one year old kid. 27 years later, Justin Verlander won the award, the fourth time in team history.

by David Malamut

Verlander had one of those magical years, going 24-5 with a 2.40 era in 34 starts. Pitching four complete games and two shutouts in 251 innings. He would go 14-2 away from Detroit’s Comerica Park and 10-3 at home. THere really isn’t any stat in his 2011 season that is a bad one as he was just dominant throughout the year. He did not have a start where he pitched less than 6 innings, yes he had a few rocky starts but he kept his team in those.

He also is a four time all star, a former Rookie of the Year. In his career has lead the league in wins, innings pitched, winning percentage and strikeouts. Was the second overall pick of the 2004 draft by the Tigers.

In his seven year major league career he already has 107 wins. Having double digit wins in each of his full major league seasons. Justin has been in the post season twice in his career with a 3-3 record and a 5.57 era in 8 games. Pitching in the 2006 World Series against the Cardinals. He would lose both games he pitched in that series.

Voice of A Season Ticket Holder
(Kane County Cougars)

The Detroit Tigers have lost one game in the American League Championship Series thus far to the Texas Rangers. The weather has helped the Rangers and definitely has damaged the chances of the Tigers. This is due to the superior starters of Detroit. The greatness of Justin Verlander was neutralized in game one because he was only able to go four innings and toss eighty two pitches. This man has a chance to win the most valuable player award, but he was limited to about two thirds of his production.

It is ridiculous that Commissioner Bud Selig had the final decision on the multiple delays in game one that totaled nearly two hours. It substantially favors the Rangers because the hitters can still perform easily upon return with limited warm-up. When the pitchers come back from being cold, they use some of the arsenal meant for the game because there are only a certain amount of pitches possible for them-in game play or warming up.

Two key injuries will be an issue for Detroit. Outfielder Magglio Ordonez will be on the shelf for the remainder of the playoffs with a serious ankle injury. Home run hitting sensation Delmon Young will also be on the sidelines with an oblique strain. This is especially troubling for the team because both players are outfielders. It limits substituting options for manager Jim Leyland.

There were numerous pundits who ridiculed Leyland for not making Verlander available for the pivotal deciding game against the Yankees. It proved to be the correct decision because C.C. Sabathia came in the game for Joe Girardi and he was extremely ineffective. It’s a narrow minded maneuver to use pitchers on short rest because of the money that organizations pay their top hurlers.

Milwaukee abused Sabathia during its playoff run and then New York did the same thing. I understand that Sabathia said that he was fine to perform, but it’s up to the coaching staff to put its proverbial foot down and stop him. It’s similar to when an injured player wants to take the field, but the medical professionals forbid it. He could get hurt worse or be more ineffective than a replacement because of his limited capability.

Detroit should implement small ball throughout the series. If the games are high scoring, then Texas has the edge. If the opposite is true, then Detroit will come out on top. There are certain spots in the order where moving runners along and sacrificing outs makes sense. Miguel Cabrera is the top hitter in the league and he deserves to come to the plate frequently with runners in scoring position. It’s a coach’s job to put players in positions where they can succeed. Leyland must make this happen for Detroit to advance to the World Series.

The dream match-up for Michiganders would have been the Arizona Diamondbacks in the World Series. Kirk Gibson is the ultimate hometown hero, but the fans should want to see the Cardinals. They don’t have the tandem of Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder. The team is even scarier considering that higher offensive production will likely come because they are probably going to play their home games indoors.

This comes to me from a Detroit area man, and sports fan, who’s enduring a professional setback, and some personal financial uncertainty right now. Yes, you might have heard a thing or two in the news about the city of Detroit and its economic hardships. Now you’re hearing about their athletic successes as well.

Well the media often likes to present those two situations together, often into being something they’re not.

We’re here to tell you what really happens when sports triumph hits an economically depressed city. Here’s our piece from Detroit Sports Fan:

I’m unemployed. It’s not a lot of fun. In fact it sucks. A lot.

I know I’m not the only person in this economic environment without a job and I haven’t even been unemployed very long. But unemployment takes a psychological toll very quickly. The “it’s-going-be-be-ok” attitude that was prevalent the first few days of unemployment is already starting to chip away.

And while I have confidence that things will, eventually, be OK, it’s nice when the things that I can’t control are going my way. Like, for instance, my sports teams doing incredibly well.

See, I’m also a Detroiter. (Technically a “metro-Detroiter” since I’m from St. Clair Shores, just a stone’s throw from Detroit.) Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that Detroit-area teams are the word in the sports world (Not unlike, the bird).

The Tigers won a division title and are now in the ALCS. The Lions are undefeated and heading into their first Monday Night Football game in several years. The Wolverines are undefeated, the Spartans just came off a big road win at Ohio State and both are on a collision course for an epic showdown next weekend. The Wings start their season today. And no one in Detroit has to watch the Pistons play because of the lockout.

So, yeah, things are going VERY well for a Detroit sports fan. And I’m not ashamed to admit this is making me feel better.

See, the national media likes to play up the idea that the success of Detroit sports will pull the city out from its doldrums and kick-start a rebirth. Well, that’s not going to happen. Detroiters will make that happen. Detroiters with big and creative ideas who will wrestle the city from its paralyzing bureaucracy and lead it into a brighter future.

Sports teams won’t do that.

But they can make us feel good and there should be no shame in believing sports teams can have that positive effect. While it’s dumb for the national media to speak for the city and claim that it “needs” sports teams to do well (see CBS and their MORONIC fallacies presented in stories of the MSU Spartans reaching the 2009 Final Four, held in Detroit) it’s just as stupid for individuals to speak for their fellow Detroiters and claim the success of the Lions, Pistons, Tigers, Red Wings, Michigan or Michigan State doesn’t help in some way.

It helps me. It puts a smile on my face. It makes my otherwise normal life just a little bit more fun. And there is nothing wrong with that.

(Go here for a parody of the media’s common archetype of the sports victory and crisis model)

Bloomberg News reported that the success of Detroit sports would inject another $140 million into the economy. As the Detroit Red Wings get started, the motor city’s most famous and successful sports brand complements the Lions winning ways (4-0, one of just two undefeated teams left in the NFL), the Detroit Tigers winning the AL Central and leading the New York Yankees in the ALDS 2-1.

And then you have the #11 Michigan Wolverines who are 5-0 and just down the road in Ann Arbor. Sure the Pistons are still a complete train wreck, but the NBA is on lockout, so we won’t really see that.

And yes, $140 million seems like a lot of money to you and me, but it’s just a drop in the bucket compared to the economic holocaust that has occurred in Detroit. No amount of sports titles will ever generate enough economic impact to reverse the financial and commercial hellscape that is Motown.  But it’s a step in the right direction. And with the Red Wings starting their regular season next week, the city’s most traditional sports power and recognizable franchise should add to the excited, rejuvenated atmosphere.

And it’s not just going in all the mile roads lower than 8. Pure Michigan sports excellence extends beyond the 810. The Michigan State Spartans are ranked #20 in college football, and take a look at “Directional Michigan.” The triumvirate of Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan and Central Michigan are usually collectively the pathetic joke of college football. Quite often producing double digit loss seasons individually. But today they are combined 8-7! Yes a winning record for Directional Michigan. Western is the best of the three teams led by Jordan White, second in the nation in receiving yards. Yes, there’s something in the water right now; and the state of Great Lakes Splendor is a peninsula surrounded by it.

The Lions are the big surprise, as they’ve turned around an entire decade of futility. When the Chicago Bears visit Ford Field on Sunday, they won’t have their usual home field advantage style fan out-numbering. This year more Lions fans are coming.

In the short-term, the Tigers take precedence as their games are obviously more do-or-die. The only state that’s doing better right now is Wisconsin. Just across Lake Michigan, America’s Dairyland is seeing the #5 Badgers at 5-0, the reigning Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers as the NFL’s other undefeated team, and the Milwaukee Brewers winning their NLDS series.  (We’ll have more on this later)

So it’s all about the upper midwest right now, huh? Well, have you seen Minnesota’s teams records? Not to mention things in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio are just as miserable as usual.

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site that generates millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

He does regular weekly radio spots in Chicago and Cleveland and has appeared on live shows all across the world from Houston to New Zealand. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.

The suspended game on Friday night was a wash for the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers (pun intended). Detroit obviously has the advantage that the series is best of five instead of seven. This allows them to utilize the strengths of the roster and minimize its shortcomings that would be more prevalent over more games.

Verlander Must Win Two Games: The righthander has won twenty-five games during the regular season. He has been the first pitcher in the league to do so in two decades. The suspension of Friday night’s contest took him and opponent C.C. Sabathia off the mound for Saturday. Verlander could still make two starts if the series goes the distance. New York has some major question marks after the top of their rotation, so Joe Girardi is treating Sabathia with kid gloves.

Continued Domination of Miguel Cabrera: The first baseman for Detroit has put up some magical numbers once again this season. He hit .344 with over thirty home runs and one hundred runs batted in. This puts him among the elite in the game. The production will be necessary throughout the postseason if the Tigers are to make a deep run. He only missed one game during the regular season, so his health should not be an issue whatsoever. His demeanor will not cause him to press in stressful situations either.

Jose Valverde Closes: In a previous post, I predicted that Justin Verlander would be the recipient of the Cy Young Award. I certainly was not going out on a limb with that prognostication. During most seasons, closer Jose Valverde would have a legitimate shot at that hardware. He has successfully shut the door on the opposition during all of his forty-nine save opportunities. The public is enamored with Mariano Rivera’s cutter, but there has been nobody more successful than Valverde in the back end of the bullpen this season. He must carry this over to the New York series to keep the team morale high.

Timely Hitting by Victor Martinez: Much like Valverde is overshadowed by Verlander, Martinez is by Cabrera. Nobody on the club is a better natural hitter than Martinez. He is one of those players that could probably be effective with his swing into his late forties. He certainly has his shortcomings behind the plate; fortunately the team has Alex Avila to manage the pitching staff in that regard. Martinez should come up numerous times throughout the series with runners on base. Detroit’s run totals will largely depend on what he does in these situations.

An Unexpected Hero: Not many predicted the Giants to go the distance last postseason. Outfielder Delmon Young provided a solo shot on Friday before game one was suspended. This unexpected play can be contagious for teams. He certainly has the potential to continued success. Some other likely candidates include Jhonny Peralta and Brennan Boesch. Both men have the necessary pop to come up big late in games. They also have the ability to take the ball near the right field foul pole to take advantage of the short porch.

One Detroit Tigers starting pitcher took an interesting detour on his way to the MLB playoffs

Onetime Fort Worth (TX) Cats (American Association) fireballer Max Scherzer appears to have the most prominent role among former Independent players who will be in major league baseball’s high octane Octoberfest, but he will not stand along.

      Scherzer, who was at Fort Worth for a time in 2007 before he signed a bonus contract with Arizona, will be Detroit’s Game 3 starter in the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees after winning 15 games (15-9, 4.43) for the Tigers.  He will be joined in the eight-team playoff spotlight by Brad Ziegler of Arizona, who once pitched for Schaumburg, IL in the Northern League, and is an important part of the Diamondbacks’ bullpen.

      While some Indy players had their hopes of the postseason dashed in recent days or by Wednesday night’s histrionics and rosters do not have to be finalized until just hours before the first game, indications are Can-Am League graduate Raul Valdes (New Jersey Jackals and Nashua, NH) will be the second left-hander in the Yankees’ bullpen.

      It also is possible veteran lefty Alberto Castillo may be in Arizona’s pen, while right-hander Dane De La Rosa has some chance of being on the Tampa Bay staff.