Loyalty Issues

Chinese symbol for "Loyalty".

If I were a fan of the Baltimore Orioles or Milwaukee Brewers, I would count on hating the current front office crew in about five years. That's right, I am willing to predict that Orioles outfielder Nick Markakis and Milwaukee Brewers first basemen Prince Fielder will not be with their current team in five-to-seven years.

These predictions are from the controversy stemming from their contract disputes in the off-season. With the numbers both of them put up last year, they deserved to get paid this offseason, but they did not. Instead, they had their contracts renewed for one year each and they are both being paid less than $1 million. The teams need to show loyalty to their players. To quote my dad, both of these players were "low-balled."

Let's look at each of these cases individually.

I am beginning to think I have a mancrush on Nick Markakis. Actually, I would like to take this opportunity to officially announce that I, DJ, have a mancrush on Nick Markakis. There.

Anyway, I have been watching Markakis steadily move up through the Orioles organization. I always bring this up, but I saw him play Single-A ball, and even then, he was amazing. When he was placed in right field on Opening Day in 2006 by Sam Perlozzo, I knew the future had arrived. Markakis was the Orioles lineup at some points this year and he is one of Major League Baseball's rising young stars. The Orioles need to keep him. Renewing his contract for one-year, $455,000 does not show that they want to keep him. I hope the Orioles realize that they are playing in the same division as the Yankees and Red Sox. I would hate to see Markakis patrolling the Pesky Pole in Fenway next to Jacoby Ellsbury or in right field at the new Yankee Stadium next to Melky Cabrera. I want to see him next to Adam Jones in Camden Yards. Playing these two teams many times during the season adds intrigue into Markakis to the potential of playing there.

So kill that potential, pay the man.

Here are Markakis' stats from last year:

They compare favorably to J.D. Drew:

J.D. Drew is making $14 million.

Markakis is making $455,000.

That ain't right.

Now let's look at Fielder. Now, Fielder is not the physical specimen of say, Mark McGwire or Barry Bonds, but the man can hit the ball... far. When I first heard of young Prince Fielder, it was in Michael Lewis ' Moneyball, where Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane painted an unflattering picture of him. Because of that, I did not have the best thoughts about Fielder when I first started seeing him play. After seeing him play multiple times however, my viewpoint has totally changed. The man can play. David Ortiz is aging. The Red Sox are going to be in the market for a DH in the next few years. Teams and general managers know that Fielder is the ideal choice for an American League DH in the future. What is there to stop the Red Sox, the Yankees, or even the Angels from signing him to a huge deal the small market Brewers cannot match? I know the Brewers are a low budget team, but if they were to sign Fielder to a long-term deal now, they would be able to negotiate a shorter deal later in time so they will be able to keep him for his prime. The Brewers need to pay Fielder if they want to contend.

Pay him.

Fielder's stats from last year:

They compare to Paul Konerko.

Konerko makes $12 million.

Fielder makes $670,000.

Yeahhhhhhhh.

To me, the Orioles and Brewers need to follow the lead of the Colorado Rockies, who signed young Troy Tulowitzki to a six-year, $31-million contract with the same or less service time as Markakis and Fielder. For both of those guys to see someone with less time than them make more money than them, that has to hurt. The Orioles are committed to rebuilding (or at least trying to be). Lock up Markakis. Put him next to Jones in the outfield. Markakis needs to be the centerpiece of the Orioles rebuilding process. I have heard talk of the Orioles contending in four-to-five years, which would put Markakis in his prime. Markakis is necessary for the Orioles to win. Peter Angelos, be loyal to your team and players. Sign the man.

As for Fielder, the Brewers need him for the future too. Put him in the lineup with Ryan Braun, J.J. Hardy, and Rickie Weeks, and you have something special. If the Brewers want to be able to outplay the Cubs for the NL Central crown, they will need Fielder anchoring their lineup, the Red Sox or Yankees lineup.

Sign these men.

Sj-hypocycloidRed-Shirting

189 days ago

Score 0

I agree with your assesment of Markakis and Fielder. The Phillies have pulled this same stuff with Cole Hamels, and he's already promised to have a long memory. I don't think Markakis would appreciate being compared to a guy who should have been a really good player (Drew), but was such an ass and then never lived up to his hype.

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JuTMSY4Hall of Famer

189 days ago

Score 5

They're paid appropriately!

I don't see how anyone compares this at all to JD drew...you can't just look at it one year to another and think..."what the hell, this guy's getting riped off"

JD drew made a total of 7 million in his first 4 years in the MLB...

Ryan Howard, who's made the most money of any player with is experience ever made 355,000 in his first full year (in which he won an MVP), 900k in his second (in which is stats declined slightly, but were still very good) and 10 million in his third full year of major league experience which is roughly 11.3 million dollars over three years...

That is the most a major leaguer has ever earned at this point in his career...

Consider Albert Pujols, who is widely considered the one of the best players in the league...he made 200k his first year, 600k his second year and 900k his 3rd year before signing an extension...

its not about paying a player now and players are being stupid...eventually they all become bloated and overpaid, like Manny Ramirez...it just evens out...

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Taytay 24All-American

189 days ago

Score 4

Yep, JuT's right. For better or worse, good players are underpaid early and overpaid late.

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DOCTORxCoolSoccer Kid

189 days ago

Score 1

My comparisons were really bad. I was running out of time and was having trouble finding people to compare them to.

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AKittellVarsity

189 days ago

Score 0

The Brewers are in preliminary negotiations with Fielder and Braun, in which owner Mark Attanasio is trying to buy out at least one year of free agency for both of them. The Brewers had every intention of low balling Fielder because they knew he was going to make $10 million next year during his first year of eligibility, but it was not intended to be menacing. Next year Eric Gagne, Mike Cameron and Ben Sheets will all become free agents, freeing up $27 million. The year after that, Jeff Suppan will leave, opening up another $12 million. Yes, these guys deserve and demand the money, but with only two or a half year of major league service, I think they understand. Braun has already accepted the system and is probably just as upset as Fielder, but Fielder is not the business man Braun is. He's an emotional beast and let it get the best of his comments. I think you'll see Weeks, Gallardo, Braun and Fielder here for at least 5-6 more years. Everyone else will probably get pushed aside as they continue to build their farm system with Doug Melvin and Gord Ash doing the work as well as they have.

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Pas493JV Squad

189 days ago

Score 0

The Brew Crew is committed to its youth and I def see Prince sticking around. With Markakis I mean really who cares about the O's the owner is not committed to winning at all they just cry about how they are in the AL East and never get a chance to win, atleast teams like Toronto and Tampa try to improve their roster to compete with the Sox and Yanks. Also everyone whines about their contracts when their a productive young player, Ryan Howard was only making like $300,000. Prince is the face of the franchise making similarly low money like Ryan Zimmerman but do you see Zim leaving.

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