contract

My hometown Detroit Tigers just signed Prince Fielder to a nine-year, $214 million contract.  Short-term, I'm excited because this keeps the Tigers in championship contention.  Long-term, I'm worried because this is an enormous contract to swallow -- fourth all-time, only smaller than A-Rod's two contracts and Albert Pujols' contract this year.

Oh yeah, and there's just one more long-term problem: Prince Fielder is a vegetarian.  Here is Fielder's Wikipedia entry:

"Prior to the 2008 season Fielder became a vegetarian, removing meat and fish from his diet. Fielder made this choice after reading Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, given to him by his wife Chanel."

Prince Fielder is no skinny bitch.  He's got weight issues.  Back in 2008, the NYT reported that he was 5'11'' and he tipped the scales at 270 pounds.  Long-time readers may remember that the majority of the most highlighted passages in Skinny Bitch are ways to eat sugar or processed food.  Apparently, he's taken the book to heart.  All this means he's going to age faster.  His production is going to drop sooner.  And his recovery from injuries will be slower.  I'll have to see what I can do to get him eating better.

A personal memory: I once struck out Prince Fielder in Little League.  I think I was 10 years old.

When his father, Cecil, played for the Tigers, Prince played a year of local ball before either moving or joining a travel team.  He could hit anything.  It didn't matter whether it was in the strike zone or not.  I wouldn't be surprised if his OBP was above .700.  Another time I was playing catcher and we intentionally walked him.  In Little League, there just aren't very many intentional walks -- it's considered pretty bad form.  He was that good.  Below is a local McDonald's ad that he appeared in long before his vegetarian days.

Anyhow, I wish him the best.  Go Tigers!