Add new comment

I've said this before so if I'm stringing my own noose over the branches of the Tree of Naivety then please let me know. Honestly. 
Assumptions:
1) The reson for a baseball team to be 'fiscally responsible' is so that the allocation of your limited annual budget is maximized for the purposes of obtaining the most amount of talent possible in order to win the most games.
2) Premium, top-shelf talent is rare and has a larger net impact on the ability of a given team to win than the sum of his tools.
3) Prince Fielder is a premium top-shelf talent.
4) Prince Fielder's skillset is such that his services would have a greater impact for the Mariners than to most any other team and will signifigantly increase the teams ability to win.
5) In order to compete in the new look AL West against the NY Angels of Anaheim and the Boston Rangers, a genuine on-field product from the front office MUST have a signifigant offensive addition THIS off-season.
6) Any offensive upgrade that is NOT Prince Fielder would have to come via trade and would cost the team dearly in terms of premium prospects, especially in the prospect-hoarding climate of today's baseball. In essence, money would be cheaper than prospects for this front-office.
7) The Mariners have been profitable (see Forbes).
8) The attendance has been declining but the fanbase has proven, time and time again, that it WILL support a winner.
Please let me know if I went wrong anywhere or if I'm missing anything of signifigance. The only conclusion that I can draw from these assumptions is that the Mariners priority would be to sign Prince and squash any competition threating to poach. Considering this to be true, if Jack were able to get this deal done at less than 8/180 than his reputation as a Dark Knight Joker at the negotiating table will be severely underrated.