Prince Fielder is New King of Detroit
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By DERON SNYDER
Prince Fielder was 12 years old when he first made a name for himself in Detroit. The stocky teenager and son of slugger Cecil Fielder put on an unbelievable power display at Tiger Stadium, blasting a series of prodigious home runs during batting practice.
Fifteen years later, Fielder is returning to Motown to do it again, this time in actual major-league games. The Tigers just shocked the baseball world by signing the most coveted player left on the market and giving him a nine-year, $214 million contract, the fourth-richest ever.
Fielder will earn $23 million in each of his first two years and then make $24 million annually in the final seven seasons, according to terms obtained by the Associated Press. If he wins the American League Most Valuable Player award, he earns an additional $500,000. If he’s second through fifth in the MVP voting, it’s worth an extra $200,000, while sixth through 10th nets a $100,000 bonus. Each MVP award he wins after the first one gives him $1 million.
He also gets bonuses of between $50,000 and $100,000 for various and assorted awards and honors … plus a hotel suite on the road.
