Crystal Ball: Prince Fielder

by John Sickels on Feb 15, 2026 12:35 PM EST in News

Remember, the Crystal Ball feature is one of those things that you can take as seriously as you like. It could be too optimistic, it could be too pessimistic. The point is to stimulate conversation and discussion. What do you think?

0 recs | Comment 39 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

WOW !

As a White Sox fan, I am sure looking forward to 2014. I hope you're right.

by White Sox Randy on Feb 15, 2026 12:52 PM EST 0 recs

2012 and 2014 . . .

Look like MVP type seasons. I think that's pretty realistic. I think John's a little pessimistic with Prince's power numbers his first couple of years, but otherwise I think this looks about right.

by RayRay on Feb 15, 2026 1:00 PM EST 0 recs

durability...

If he can stay in decent shape, I don't see him falling off so dramatically at age 33/34.

I agree with the 2006 prediction though... I don't see him hitting for a high avg for a couple years.

Rays in '08....

by youALREADYknow on Feb 15, 2026 1:00 PM EST 0 recs

Fun Stuff

optimistic insofar as his production throughout his career but then pessimistic when it comes to the inevitable topic of longevity when you're discussing an overweight kid.
however, I think on the whole this predicts him to be just short of the hall of fame, which, by my assumption, is overkill. If you can be two 25/100 seasons away from the hall of fame benchmarks for HR and RBI while only playing till 35... you're hall-of-fame caliber. prince isnt.

by zookman12 on Feb 15, 2026 1:24 PM EST 0 recs

Why not?

Why is Prince Fielder not potential HOF material? I haven't seen a scouting report out there that doesn't think he will hit for both average and outstanding power. He walks, too, for all the statheads out there. I have questions about his defense and his longevity, but I don't see a lot of things that would lead me to believe that he could not be a HOF-caliber hitter for 8-10 years.

by jc3 on Feb 15, 2026 1:56 PM EST up 0 recs

Well

HOF players should be the type that consistently change the face of the game year in, year out with incredible numbers, combined with phenomenal durability because, let's face it, it's kind of hard to hit 500 HRs when you have 300 AB's a year. Could he get into the HOF? In a best case scenario. Worst case scenario? He gets injured early and often and his career is stunted, although I think he's good over all for 300+ HRs... That's still incredible.

by mroak89 on Feb 16, 2026 9:06 PM EST up 0 recs

Durability

I said I had issues with longevity, not durability. He's never had injury problems before, so I don't see why he can't be a 500 AB guy for 10 years. It's when he turns 34 or so that I start to have questions of how much longer he can last based on his body type.

by jc3 on Feb 17, 2026 11:17 AM EST up 0 recs

Nice touch

with the 50 HR season... I assume that would be the first time father and son would have accomplished the feat?

by SLK on Feb 15, 2026 1:27 PM EST 0 recs

i love how

John has all these studs winding up with the yankees at the end of their careers .. haha. is it that predictable>?

by slarve on Feb 15, 2026 1:54 PM EST 0 recs

yanks

that's supposed to be a bit tongue-in-cheek.

by John Sickels on Feb 15, 2026 1:58 PM EST up 0 recs

As a Sox fan...

... that made me laugh out loud.

by abbreviatedman on Feb 15, 2026 2:20 PM EST up 0 recs

Excellent prediction ...

I don't know how you did it, John, but I'd say the prediction for 2005 is going to be very close.

After that, I'm not so sure ...

"Sports do not build character - they merely reveal it". Chris Schenkel, Sportscaster

by Pigs57 on Feb 15, 2026 2:19 PM EST 0 recs

I was all set to agree with you on...

... how well he predicted 2005, until I noticed that you probably meant 2006.

Though I still agree with you.

by abbreviatedman on Feb 15, 2026 2:21 PM EST up 0 recs

Umm.

Unless you were making a joke. In which case, heh.

by abbreviatedman on Feb 15, 2026 2:22 PM EST up 0 recs

One thing...

Why is it assumed almost as a matter of course, that Milwaukee will lose Fielder via free agency?

Did the multi-year deal Ben Sheets signed in 2005 not get noticed? The Brewers aren't about to return tot heir status as one of the "farm teams" for big-market clubs like the Yankees and White Sox.

A pro-artificial turf, pro-designated hitter baseball fan.

by Harold on Feb 15, 2026 2:41 PM EST 0 recs

not a farm team

I don't think that was the assumption. If Fielder puts up an MVP-type year in '12, a lot of teams will come looking for him. Maybe the Brewers resign him, but it's more fun to say that someone else snags him with a ton of money. It also highlights his contracts.

I.e., plays much of his young career with the Brewers, then ChiSox sign him to some huge 4-year deal (as he might be the reigning MVP). A couple bad years at the end and the Orioles get him to sign a 2-year deal - lesser cash, but maybe some incentives thrown in and an option third year that doesn't get picked up. Then the Tigers sign "Cecil's son" for a year and finally he ends up being the Yankees platoon DH at the end of his career.

It's easier to make that story and highlight certain things than "He plays his entire career with the Brewers." It's all for fun.

by jlistf on Feb 15, 2026 2:53 PM EST up 0 recs

"Cecil's son"

Re: durability -

Cecil's last season was his age 34 season. I'm not gonna compare son to daddy, but lasting till he's 35 isn't out-of-line.

I also liked the stints at the end with Detroit and NYYanks. For me, those are the teams I associate Cecil with. (Who remembers he came up with Toronto before playing in Japan? Or that last season with Anaheim and Cleveland?)

by jlistf on Feb 15, 2026 2:58 PM EST 0 recs

2014

600+ AB's AND 103 BB's?

700 is a ton of plate appearances for this guy. Not out of the realm if he plays every game (see Richie Sexson circa 2003)... But I just don't see him ever playing 160 games a season. In perfect conditions, I think Fielder starts an average of 145-150 games a year, without injuries. Predicting 7 150+ game seasons seems overly optimistic.

I am reminded of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, "I drank what?"

by kings33 on Feb 15, 2026 3:32 PM EST 0 recs

re:

He'd be in the AL that year, meaning he could be DH'ing.

by IanCobb on Feb 15, 2026 3:43 PM EST up 0 recs

forgot somethin

He retires, then, in 2060:

75 years old in a retirement home. Brian Sabean calls from the other side of the retirement home and convinces him to come play CF for the Giants.

Seriously: The way he is built, if he isn't VERY SERIOUS about his weight and conditioning, he could fall off much earlier than that. Mo Vaughn

P.S. Coincidence that you project him to stop playing at 35, like Mo Vaughn?

www.faketeams.com SportsBlogs' own all-sport fantasy blog. Check it out.

by ohad on Feb 15, 2026 3:59 PM EST 0 recs

Yeah ...

look at the caboose on that train. Ho-ly cow.

by Flynn Blake on Feb 15, 2026 4:30 PM EST up 0 recs

35

Not a coincidence.

by John Sickels on Feb 15, 2026 4:37 PM EST up 0 recs

My prediction

This year will be the first in a long line of Prince and King lame references, maybe Chris Berman can pull off something good, maybe...

by niallmack on Feb 15, 2026 5:44 PM EST 0 recs

i actually think

prince will be even better than the crystal ball projection for 2006-10 or so, and then fall off even faster and retire quite young, without getting anywhere near 400 career HRs.

by jpahk on Feb 15, 2026 6:47 PM EST 0 recs

I do not see him in MIL that long.

I simply think he will be to great of 1B liability and some AL team will snatch him up for young pitching within a few years.

http://oaklandprospects.blogspot.com/

by novaoakland on Feb 15, 2026 8:50 PM EST 0 recs

I wonder...

If any player (other than future Prince) has hit 40 home runs with three different teams. Off the top of my head, Reggie Jackson came to my mind as a possibility. Turns out he only hit 40 bombs once. Although he did hit at least 36 bombs with three different teams.

by lombardizzy on Feb 16, 2026 12:00 AM EST 0 recs

Arod

Arod did it. Sheffield didn't, but he hit 39 with ATL and 36 with NYY (which would've been 3 and 4). Canseco didn't, Palmeiro didn't. Reggie hit 40 twice (47 with Oak in '69, 41 with NYY in '80) and he had 39 with the Angels in 82. Albert Belle had 50 with Cleveland, 49 with the White Sox, but only 37 as an Oriole. Greg Vaughn(!) had 50 with the Padres, 45 with the Reds and 41 in 96, but he split the year between Mil and SDP.

That might be it.

by jlistf on Feb 16, 2026 1:19 AM EST up 0 recs

re:

Greg Vaughn is close. He hit 50 with the Padres in '98, 45 with the Reds in '99, and 41 in '97, but he played for both SD and Milwaukee that year.

by IanCobb on Feb 16, 2026 2:26 AM EST up 0 recs

re:

...and for some reason I didn't notice that you mentioned Vaughn last. Sorry.

by IanCobb on Feb 16, 2026 3:19 PM EST up 0 recs

Thome could do it

40, 49 & 52 with Indians.
47 & 42 with Phillies.
If he's healthy, he should be able to get 40 for the White Sox.

Policeman: Sir, are you classified as human? Korben Dallas: Ah, negative. I am a meat popsicle.

by finman on Feb 16, 2026 10:31 AM EST up 0 recs

Big if

by mroak89 on Feb 16, 2026 9:12 PM EST up 0 recs

Heavy hitter

Kid's going to have some problems due to that weight. Name me a handful of guys THAT big to have that kind of extended success. It doesn't really happen that often, if at all.

by Athletic Supporter on Feb 16, 2026 3:11 AM EST 0 recs

260?

260's his listed weight (6'0"). Cecil is the most obvious comparable, but he's listed at 240 (6'3"). Ortiz is 230 (6'4"), Mo Vaughn is 230 (6'1"). Kevin Mitchell is 210, but he ballooned at the end of his career. Babe Ruth is listed at 215. Boog Powell is 240 (6'4").

I don't know how realistic those listed numbers are (Bartolo Colon's listed at 185 on baseball-reference, 250 on espn - i used baseball-reference numbers), but 260 is big no matter what. I assumed he was roughly equivalent weight-wise to Cecil and Mo, but he might be bigger.

by jlistf on Feb 16, 2026 8:19 AM EST up 0 recs

BR

Their weights are laughably incorrect and never updated.

Andruw Jones at 170? Ha!

by aCone419 on Feb 16, 2026 12:06 PM EST up 0 recs

Cecil at 240?

Cecil listed at 240 might have been accurate if the unit of measurement was kilograms.
I don't remember what Cecil looked like when he was 22, but in his 50 HR days, I'd guess he was closer to 300 lbs than 250.

by SmokeyJoeWood on Feb 16, 2026 9:41 AM EST 0 recs

In fairness to Prince

he has worked his butt off (no pun intended) to get fit. As you might imagine, with his genes, it's been a struggle, but that dude is in shape. He'll never steal many bases or be all that dextrous in the field, but as long as he works hard at it, he'll be fine.

by jeffbcb on Feb 16, 2026 6:54 PM EST 0 recs

Mo was a good athlete when he was young

He even stole 11 bases 1 year.

It didn't extend his career.

All that weight is just hard on the knees.

by cdamon on Feb 16, 2026 7:31 PM EST up 0 recs

Walk rate

I don't think it will take him four full years to break 60 walks.

by battlekow on Feb 16, 2026 9:37 PM EST 0 recs

replying to your previous comment

designer mobel birne hard rock cafe guitar at least one of these directories linux asm net as strayenkarte aachen on these days schlussel knacken rock shox mc canon eos 350d testbericht schwerin keramik tourismus ostsee weht der wind ein blatt vom kreditkarte fa topfe de cuticle trimmer www reisen de phantom der oper trailer the grill on the alley patrone farbe carl von ossietzky universitat oldenburg barbie bettwasche das gegenteil ist mieten ohne provision shop tabak dichter pumpe kaufen grundlage der software motorola v radio future mp3 ein laserdrucker

by calabrohuaca on Dec 21, 2025 10:01 PM EST 0 recs