Tigers lose talent in trading Prince Fielder to Texas

Detroit Tigers trade Prince Fielder to Texas Rangers in exchange for Ian Kinsler

DETROIT – Prince Fielder has suffered a second divorce this year.

First, Fielder filed for one with his wife this past summer. On Wednesday, the Tigers dumped Fielder, trading the slugger to the Texas Rangers in exchange for second baseman Ian Kinsler.

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For sure, many Tigers' fans will be thrilled by Fielder's departure because his postseason was so poor. But in reality, on paper, the Tigers aren't better without Fielder- an All-Star, their lone lefty power bat. Hence, the team dumped both salary and talent.

That World Series title that the Tigers have been longing for since the last one in 1984 doesn't seem any closer after this deal.

According to CBSSports.com, which broke the story, there could be other players involved in the MLB-shocking deal.

The main reason it's such a shocker is when the Tigers signed Fielder a few years ago to that monster nine-year, $214-million deal, he was supposed to be the missing piece for a championship.

Fielder was missing all right, especially in this past postseason. The first baseman had no home runs or RBI.

Worse, Fielder's attitude after the Tigers were eliminated by the Boston Red Sox in the American League Championship Series was no good. Instead of being upset or frustrated, Fielder was rather flip, almost as if he didn't care.

It rubbed many fans the wrong way and turned him into public enemy No. 1 on Detroit sports-talk radio.

Before that, many fans were thrilled to get Fielder, 29. He made the All-Star team both years in Motown. For the Tigers, he had 55 homers and averaged 107 RBI.

Fans, of course, will try to talk themselves into this being a great deal for the Tigers. It's not - totally.

Despite Fielder's bad postseason, the combination of Fielder and Miguel Cabrera made for the most dangerous duo in baseball.

Let's not forget that Cabrera won back-to-back AL MVPs with Fielder batting behind him in the cleanup spot.

With Fielder there, teams were forced to pitch to Cabrera. That could change in 2014. So it could have a big effect to the Tigers' offense.

The other factor you're not sure about yet is whether the Tigers are going the other way, spending less than more. Last season, the Tigers' payroll was $150 million in the top 5 in MLB.

Will this freed up money be spent to re-sign Max Scherzer? Or will the Tigers deal him as well? It was widely rumored before this out-of-nowhere deal.

Plus, don't forget that Ilitch is on the hook for about $500 million for the new Red Wings arena to be built downtown. That cash clock has started.

In the last few years, it appeared as if money wasn't an object for Tigers' owner Mike Ilitch. The Tigers, a mid-level franchise, spent money like a big-market team. This has changed. According to media reports, the Tigers will also have to throw in $30 million dollars to get from underneath the $168 million still owed Fielder. Kinsler is owed $62 million.

Is this Fielder dump a change in thinking? Or is it just about Fielder and the Tigers feeling he wasn't the fit they were hoping for?

Fielder's summer swoon, where he had a long HR dry spell, made many wondered if he was really worth the loot he was getting paid.

The production shutout in the postseason probably sealed the deal for the Tigers willingness to dump Fielder after just two seasons.

According to moles, Fielder wasn't totally happy in Motown.

Which is, somewhat, surprising since he basically grew up in Detroit when his dad, Cecil, was a star with the Tigers.

Everybody remembers the video of Prince hitting a home run out of old Tiger Stadium when he was just 13 years old.

It just seemed like a natural when Ilitch went out on his own and inked Prince with the hope of finally winning a championship for the city.

And in the beginning, it looked like a stroke of genius as the Tigers went to the World Series in Prince's first season. The Tigers wound up losing to the San Francisco Giants.

Nonetheless, almost all MLB experts picked the Tigers not only to go back to the World Series, but to win it all this time.

It didn't happen and Prince failed in such a big way.

After that, the marriage didn't feel as good as it did. No wonder Fielder's gone.