Prince Fielder traded to Rangers

The Detroit Tiger’s 1st baseman and power hitter Prince Fielder has been officially traded. In a deal that left many puzzled, Fielder, a 5x All-Star, has become the newest member of the Texas Rangers. He was traded in exchange for Rangers’ 2nd baseman Ian Kinsler.

There were many factors that went into both teams deciding to make this trade.
By acquiring Kinsler, Detroit gets a much more athletic player and one that will greatly contribute to the Tiger’s defensive play. It was also a good deal for them financially. Detroit will save a lot of money letting go of Fielder, due to his expensive contract. They can now use that money for other purposes to enhance their team. For example, they can put that money towards keeping Miguel Cabrera, their other star player, whose contract officially expires in 2015. The Tigers will probably have to acquire a new first baseman however. But that shouldn’t be a problem- there are plenty of free agent first basemen right now.

Without Nelson Cruz, the Rangers are in need of a power hitter. So, obtaining Fielder was a pretty good choice on their part. It is true that Fielder has not been playing up to expectations in the past season or so. But with a change of scenery and a new team behind him, there is a strong chance that his stats could improve with the Rangers.

But in the end, the trade couldn’t have happened without Fielder’s consent. Fielder has said that he thinks this move is the right decision, and is one that will benefit everyone involved. Here’s to hoping he’s right.