New circumstances lead Tigers to sign Fielder

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DETROIT - As recently as last Thursday, Detroit Tigers' general manager Dave Dombrowski had said that Prince Fielder would probably not be a "good fit" for his team. But a recent knee injury to designated hitter Victor Martinez changed all that. And yesterday, Fielder agreed to a nine-year, 214-million-dollar contract with the Tigers -- the fourth-largest deal in Major League history. And media reports say there's no opt-out clause during that term.

The 27-year-old free agent leaves the Milwaukee Brewers after six seasons. He averaged 38 homers a year, and was the youngest ever to hit 50 homers in a season in 2007. He's also been a model of consistency, missing just one game in his last three years. Fielder also led Milwaukee to its first playoffs in 29 years with appearances in 2008 and 2011. Brewers' general manager Doug Melvin said he never tried to make an offer after learning that agent Scott Boras demanded a 200-million-dollar contract for Fielder. Martinez is out for the season after tearing a knee in his off-season conditioning. Fielder joins Miguel Cabrera as a one-two slugging punch for Detroit, which won the American League Central division by 15 games last year but lost to Texas in the AL Championship Series. STATS Incorporated says Detroit will only be the second team in big league history to start a season with two players under 30 who have at least 200 career homers. The 1961 Milwaukee Braves were the only other ones to achieve that with Hank Aaron and Eddie Matthews.

Fielder also returns to the city where he grew up, while his now-estranged father Cecil Fielder was starring for the Tigers. Yesterday, Cecil Fielder said he was "shocked" that his son chose Detroit -- but he'll be comfortable there.

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Prince Fielder's departure gives Mat Gamel one more chance to prove that he's Major League material. Milwaukee Brewers' general manager Doug Melvin has said that Gamel will most likely be the top candidate to replace Fielder at first base. He was moved to that spot last season from third, in anticipation of Fielder's free-agent departure which came yesterday when he agreed to a nine-year deal at Detroit. Gamel has virtually slammed the cover off the ball in the minors. But he has struggled in each of his call-ups to Milwaukee over the last four years. One year, he didn't tell the Brewers about a lingering injury when he reported to Spring Training. Last fall, his Triple-"A" manager Don Money said Gamel needed to "get his head right" if he wants to stay in the Majors. Gamel was not part of the Brewers' minor league call-ups last September. Money hoped it would be a "wake-up call" after Taylor Green was promoted ahead of him. Gamel hit .310 at Triple-"A" Nashville in 2011 with 28 homers and 96 RBI's. From now on, the only time the Brewers will play against Fielder is during Interleague play, and the World Series if both Milwaukee and Detroit get there. The Brewers will play three American League Central teams in this year's Interleague schedule, but Tigers are not among them.

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