Kuzul

After the 2011 baseball season ended, the baseball world turned to watch the free agency pool and what would happen with Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder. When Pujols signed a 10-year, $254 million contract on Dec 8, 2011, it was widely believed that Pujols had set the course for Prince Fielder’s eventual contract. And, in all honesty, I believed it was a positive thing for Fielder to have Pujols sign first, increasing Fielder’s per year value.

This may have backfired on Prince, giving him the idea of a contract that may be out of reach. The only thing that Fielder really had on Pujols was that he was younger than Pujols. Fielder cannot compete with the career numbers of Pujols, and to be honest, Pujols is in much better physical shape than Fielder is and probably will ever be.

It is now a month and a half later and Fielder still finds himself jobless. Fielder most recently met with the Texas Rangers, but it seems highly unlikely they will sign Fielder at the money he is looking for, or the length of contract he desires.

Texas just dropped a ridiculous amount of money on Yu Darvish, the Japanese ace was signed for a six-year, $60 million deal. The icing on the cake was the $51.7 million fee the Rangers had to front to gain the rights to negotiate with Darvish. So now, with the talks with Texas apparently halted, where is Fielder going to spend the 2012 season?

Here are a couple of teams that seem to have the perfect fit for Fielder.

Chicago Cubs

As a diehard Cubs fan, I waiver on deciding if I want Fielder or not. Fielder shows great promise as a ballplayer, but let’s be honest. The length and size of contract Fielder is looking for brings back awful memories of one player in recent Cubs history: Soriano. All we want is to dump that contract, and I could not imagine Fielder bombing and having to deal with both of them. 

What makes the Cubs look like the front-runner, at this time, is that today word got out that their first baseman Carlos Pena signed a one-year $7.25 million contract with the Tampa Bay Rays.

The depth chart for the Cubs, going into the 2012 season, is dismal at best. Bryan LaHair is, at this time, their starting first baseman, which will not suffice given his 20 R, three HR, .269 AVG in 201 ABs last year. The Cubs, now losing Pena, have very little power hitting on the team, and will need to do something to remedy this if they wish to compete in the strong NL Central.

Oakland A’s

Poor Oakland has hit a rough patch in the past five years. In the time span of 2000 to 2006, Oakland never finished lower than second in the AL West, and made five trips to the postseason in the same period. Since then, Oakland has failed to exceed a .500 record in a season, resulting in no playoff appearances.

To see such a great franchise fall so quickly is so sad, and they need to make some major moves to compete with the Texas Rangers in the upcoming years. Brandon Allen currently is the No. 1 first baseman on the depth chart, but his .200 average and 18 RBI are bleak stats to bring to the role.

While Fielder would boost a rather powerless offense in Oakland, the recent rumors would dispel any interest in Fielder. The A’s are not only pursuing Jonny Gomes at this time, but also the troublesome Manny Ramirez. If they do decide to sign both, there will be no room for a salary such as Fielder’s.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Losing Mark Reynolds to the Orioles meant giving up one of the few power options the Diamondbacks had up to the 2010 season. The 2012 season doesn’t show much promise in the first base position in Arizona, the three players in the depth chart total 19 HR and none of the three boasted an average above .250.

Fielder would bring back the power at first base, joining Justin Upton and Chris Young as the big bats. It will depend on the size of available payroll to Diamondbacks have available to Fielder if this would even be considered.

Washington Nationals

The Nationals are the media’s front-runner for landing Fielder, as there has been much speculation to him either playing in Washington or Texas. With Texas appearing to be stepping away, Washington should be able to swoop in and grab him.

Washington has the potential to put together a good run in 2012 with a power bat like Fielder. If not, it appears first baseman duty will fall on Adam LaRoche, who hit .172 with three HR in 2011. Numbers that don’t even compare to what Fielder can bring. Regardless, the Nationals will need to sign someone big if they wish to compete with the Phillies and Braves in the NL East. 

San Diego Padres

The Padres are the second NL West team on this list that could benefit from the play Fielder could bring. The Padres are in the process of rebuilding, and have a long way to go to compete with the Diamondbacks and Giants in the division.

Prince Fielder could bring the offensive power the Padres need, but may not take him given their depth chart at first base. Jesus Guzman and Yonder Alonso, one and two on the depth chart, hit .312 and .330, respectively. The two lack the power that Fielder could bring, though, and they could eventually move one or both to the outfield. 

Seattle Mariners

The Seattle Mariners have no power in their hitting. The highest HR count on their team in 2011 came from catcher Miguel Olivo. Seattle doesn’t have many large contracts, mostly funds dedicated to Felix Hernandez and Ichiro Suzuki, so they could potentially swing a contract like the one Prince Fielder is eyeing. They need the big bat somewhere on the field.

At this point, Justin Smoak will be the starting first baseman, with 38 R, 15 HR, 55 RBI and a .234 AVG in 2011. Fielder, if his overall physical shape gets in the way of his defensive play, could eventually be one of the best designated hitters in the league. This is something a National League team cannot offer him.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates won’t sign Fielder, and their placement on this list is just for respect that the Pirates need and want Fielder. Their payroll is one of the lowest in the MLB, and using that much of the room on the payroll would be detrimental to the rest of the team. They will be starting Garrett Jones in 2012.

While I had toyed with the idea of the Blue Jays, Tigers or Brewers being potential suitors of Fielder, it seemed that their current payroll and current lineup didn’t need Prince Fielder as much as the above teams. But, we are still left with the burning question—where will Prince Fielder play in 2012?

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

For the first few months of the Cubs new administration, it has been relatively quiet on the forefront despite being in the running for several free agents throughout the offseason. However, yesterday Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer acquired first baseman Anthony Rizzo and Zach Cates, a 23-year-old pitcher from the San Diego Padres in exchange for Andrew Cashner and Kyung-Nin Ma according to MLB.com writer, Carrie Muskrat.

Although this trade is not in the same league as signing Prince Fielder, nor does this mean that Rizzo will be the projected starting first baseman for the Cubs this season, but Rizzo is undoubtedly a promising prospect that will be a serious component in the Cubs future. It seemed evident Rizzo would be on his way out of Chicago after the Padres traded for Yondo Alonso. With this move, Epstein and Co. were able to jump and grab a premier prospect. 

Rizzo was called up to play for the MLB squad in San Diego last season, but flopped by only hitting .143 in only 35 games. In response to this, Jed Hoyer claimed on an interview with MLB.com that, “It was too early and a mistake on my part, and I don’t think I did Anthony any favors there.”Hoyer of course, was the one who decided to call Rizzo up last season, as he serves as the general manager for the Padres. Despite his lousy start, Hoyer believes that Rizzo is the future of the Cubs.

When asked about thoughts on Rizzo and his future with his new organization, Hoyer said that, “The way we see it is Bryan had a terrific year last year in Triple-A and has been terrific this year in Venezuela. We see him as our first baseman. It’s likely Anthony will start the year in Triple-A.” The Cubs have seemingly found their first baseman for the upcoming years, which is a very spectacular start to the re-building of the Cubs farm system, which has been beyond depleted for quite a while.

Alongside Rizzo, the Cubs also acquired a 23-year-old, Zach Cates, who went 4-10 with a 4.73 ERA in his first ever professional season within an organization. While he may not be the premier pitcher for the system, he seems to have some potential with a lot of time to develop before reaching the MLB level.

In return for these two prospects, the Cubs gave up Andrew Cashner, who was plagued by injuries and thought of by Theo Epstein as a reliever at best for the remainder of his career as well as Kyung-Nin Ma, a solid bat, but only a 20-year-old, who is far from reaching the big leagues. To say Rizzo was well worth it would be a massive understatement.

Disregarding his stint in San Diego, which is not going to do any hitter favors, Rizzo had a phenomenal tenure in Triple-A, hitting .331 with 26 home runs and 101 RBIs. While he will not be the starter this season, Rizzo definitely has a future on the Cubs. Without giving up too much, Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer re-acquired a bat they have loved, but gave up for Adrian Gonzalez while serving in Boston last offseason.

Rizzo is a quality bat and with the right training in Triple-A to start the season, Rizzo could prove to be the most underrated acquisition in the Epstein/Hoyer era. While San Diego technically didn’t lose anything, seeing as they have more faith in the abilities of Alonso, the Cubs did gain a very quality bat who could be a solid asset in the middle of Chicago’s lineup for years to come.

Follow DJ Rallo @Str8edgeRallo

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The 2011-12 offseason’s free-agent list made roars over the top-end talent sure to make headlines when they signed.

Two of the best first basemen in the game, Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder, were both on the market at the same time.

Jose Reyes and Aramis Ramirez also presented huge upgrade potential in the infield, and both switched teams while staying in the same division.

Carlos Beltran and Grady Sizemore were easily the top outfielders, both signing short-term deals to play in the Midwest.

On the pitching side of things, there were a handful of mighty closers to be had. Jonathan Papelbon, Ryan Madson and Heath Bell were all seeking suitors.

Bell landed in Miami, and Papelbon took huge money to go to the Phillies. Madson is still seeking a home.

The starting pitching upgrades were all good-but-not-great options. C.J. Wilson and Mark Buehrle were the aces of their staffs, but both more in a bona fide sense rather than for their true domination on the mound.

Yu Darvish continues to create a great stir, but there’s never really been a true ace to come out of Japan, though Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideo Nomo did both prove there is quality talent to be had from the Nippon teams.

However, after all the flash of the elite talent, the talent pool thinned quickly. If you couldn’t fit the $25 million-a-year commitment for either Pujols or Fielder into the budget, it was on to a long list of plan-B players.

Carlos Pena, Derrek Lee, Casey Kotchman and Lyle Overbay became mediocre consolation prizes. In the infield, Alex Gonzalez, Rafael Furcal, Yuniesky Betancourt and Jamey Carroll became the next-best options once Reyes went to Miami.

If you couldn’t snag Buehrle, Wilson or win the Darvish-posting-fee war, the options became thin as well. What talent was there mostly was snatched up quickly.

Now, teams looking for a free-agent rotation upgrade are down to only a few imperfect options.

Edwin Jackson most likely stands out from the rest due to his age and performance, but Hiroki Kuroda, Joe Saunders, Paul Maholm, Jeff Francis and Aaron Harang also represent mid-rotation arms to be had. Japanese starter Hisashi Iwakuma is also a possibility after his posting after the 2010 season went less than perfect.

What’s left is very sparse.

Sure, Prince is still on the board, but agent Scott Boras’ demands may be keeping Fielder from signing. The Yankees, Red Sox, Angels and Phillies are all set at first base, and though the Cubs have the budget room to sign Fielder, they currently have an albatross of a contract Theo, Jed and co. are surely trying to trade away in Alfonso Soriano.

Jackson remains on the market and probably makes more sense for the Cubs than Fielder. Madson won’t be a Cub, as he simply doesn’t fit in any way, shape or form with what the Cubs are trying to do.

Many people, both the media and fans, want so badly for Fielder to sign with the Cubs. It seems to make sense, but it just seems so unlikely.

Portly left-handed sluggers have had a tendency to either get in much better shape in their late 20s (as Ryan Howard did) or start to suffer a huge decline in stats (as Mo Vaughn did). While Fielder has shed some weight by going vegan, the point remains that, eventually, his weight will catch up with him.

Sure, signing Fielder seems sexy, but if he starts to decline due to weight issues, will it still be a great deal? When Fielder’s got four more years left on his contract and can’t even hit his weight, Cub fans would be calling for Epstein and Hoyer’s heads—most likely, a lot of the same fans who can’t seem to stress enough why they are right about Fielder needing to come to the Cubs.

Few wish to give late-bloomer Bryan LaHair even the slightest of chances to be the first baseman for 2012. Many point to the failure of the seemingly-similar Micah Hoffpauir. Heck, they both have jersey No. 6! However, upon further review, LaHair and Hoffpauir are two separate cases.

Hoffpauir burst onto the MLB scene—and into Cub fans’ hearts—when he hit .342 in his call-up during the 2008 campaign. His call-up was following an obscene year in AAA, in which Hoff hit .362 with 25 home runs and 100 RBIs in only 71 games for Iowa.

However, the wheels fell off for Hoff in 2009, as in more extensive duty as a backup first baseman, corner outfielder and top pinch hitter, he only mustered a .239 average. However, the power remained, and his .198 isolated power would make any sabermetrics-minded person drool.

Hoff’s struggles got even worse in 2010, as he was no longer able to hit his weight in the majors—a .173 average for the 215 lb. Hoffpauir. The Cubs sent Hoff down to Iowa, where he seemed to have fixed his issues, but just wasn’t looking to have much of a future with the Cubs.

Hoff went to the Nippon Ham Fighters in 2011 and only hit .222 as their first baseman. Where he goes now is anyone’s guess, though the magic of his 2008 season will surely continue to pay him handsomely as teams around the globe will all hope he can get back to those levels.

These struggles are the reason Cubs fans will not let LaHair prove himself as MLB-worthy and are clamoring for Fielder to send bombs over the fences as a Cub for the next decade.

However, if one looks further at Hoffpauir vs. LaHair, they’ll see why the Cubs’ new brain trust is validated in trusting LaHair. Keep in mind, these are the men that took David Ortiz from the scrap heap and saw him become one of the best designated hitters in baseball.

Hoffpauir’s 2008 was an anomaly. His batting average on balls in play was far too high for someone with the speed (or lack thereof) that Hoff has. Hoffpauir had a only a season-and-a-half of AAA under his belt coming into 2008. LaHair, on the other hand, had four-and-a-half years of AAA coming into 2011.

Hoffpauir had good-but-not-great success at his other minor league stops before 2008. In 2007, Hoff posted a solid, yet not spectacular, slash line of .319/.365/.552. For a 27-year-old first baseman and corner outfielder, it was nothing great.

He then jumped to .362/.393/.752 in 2008. Of concern to anyone is the fact that his batting average jump doesn’t quite correspond with the on-base-percentage jump. Hoffpauir simply had a lucky season in 2008.

LaHair, on the other hand, has shown steady improvement over the last four seasons in AAA, with his numbers slowly rising. The only major jump in his numbers was his home run total, jumping from 12 in 2008 to 26 in 2009. However, he’s proven the ability to keep performing at this high a level, hitting 25 homers in 2010 and 38 in 2011.

Yes, it’s impossible to expect LaHair to perform in the major leagues the way he did in AAA in 2011. However, he’s entering his prime and should be able to give the Cubs solid production until one of their prospect first basemen (most likely Dan Vogelbach or Trevor Gretzky) is ready to take over full-time. LaHair should put up solid numbers for a team with low expectations.

What does all this have to do with Fielder? Simple. It’s all about economics, which has taken a front-and-center stage with the new era of front office personnel. Fielder simply does not provide the same upgrade that one of the elite free agents this time next year could.

Fielder will almost assuredly have a better season than LaHair (who may platoon with Jeff Baker), but will the increase in production really be worth over $250 million?

We now turn to the elite talent who may be available after the 2012 season. Of course, any of these players could ink an extension. (And if they already have, I apologize. Please let me know in the comments so I can amend this.)

The Cubs’ No. 1 need is quality starting pitching. Zambrano and Dempster both come off the books after 2012, and I can’t see either coming back in significant roles. If Dempster wants to take a deep pay cut, I’m sure he’d be welcomed back as a mid-rotation guy. Big Z is most likely done in Chicago.

And who knows if Matt Garza will be wearing a Cubs jersey in 2012?

The potential to add a front line starter via free agency next winter is huge.

Matt Cain, Zack Grienke, Shaun Marcum and Cole Hamels all will be outright free agents if they don’t sign extensions.

Fausto Carmona, Gavin Floyd, Scott Feldman, Dan Haren, Ervin Santana and James Shields, most of whom will likely see said options exercised by their teams, all have options for 2013.

Former NL Cy Young and Triple Crown winner Jake Peavy will almost assuredly be a free agent, as he’s struggled with the White Sox and can’t possibly be viewed to be worth his $22 million team option.

Any of those guys easily slot into the top of the Cubs’ rotation, and with the revamped draft-pick compensation system, it may not cost the Cubs picks to sign.

All the pitchers listed above provide certain quality elements the Cubs would like.

Cain is an ace stuck behind Tim Lincecum, though his numbers should garner him at least $18 million a year.

Grienke and Marcum are both No.2/3 starters, and stealing a part of a division rival’s rotation—especially considering how Milwaukee gutted their farm system to acquire them—would be a huge strategic blow.

Hamels would weaken the Phillies and give the Cubs a top-rotation lefty—something they haven’t had in what seems like forever.

With all due respect to Ted Lilly, he’s a high-end, mid-rotation starter. When the Cubs had Rich Harden, Lilly was delegated to the No.3 starter spot, which is about where he belongs on a true contender.

With the added cash coming off the books in Zambrano and Dempster, the Cubs can afford a huge splash. Perhaps they can grab two top-tier arms to put with whatever starters they have. Even still, they could afford to look into an upgrade in the lineup and in the field.

At catcher, Yadier Molina, Miguel Montero and Russell Martin could all provide an upgrade behind the plate and make Geovany Soto expendable via trade.

In the infield, Howie Kendrick, Erick Aybar, Kelly Johnson and Brandon Phillips will all be looking for new homes and contracts.

In the outfield, Josh Hamilton, Andre Either, Michael Bourn, B.J. Upton, Shane Victorino and Carlos Quentin will all be relatively young and looking for new homes.

The abundance of talent at the positions the Cubs could see as a need will drive down their prices. Keep in mind, there was talk that Pujols could be a $30 million-a-year player back in spring training. However, the free agency of Prince Fielder dragged his price down. The same will happen with the impact players available after the upcoming season.

Finally, we come back to the economics of team-building. The benefit of signing an ace pitcher over Fielder is quite clear. Pitching wins championships, and the Cubs’ lack pitching.

Pitching-rich teams such as the Nationals might see Fielder as a solid signing, and in their case, he may be. In the Cubs’ case, they need top flight pitching—pitching which will become available in about 10-and-a-half months.

While the Cubs obviously want to be competitive in 2012, it’d be a foolish move to make one big splash now at the cost of a larger, more necessary addition for 2013.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

As my last article was essentially an extended harangue against Rogers Communications’ parsimony as owner of the Jays, as evinced by the Yu Darvish debacle, it may seem strange that I believe that they should keep the chequebook in the drawer when it comes to first baseman Prince Fielder—as if Rogers needs convincing not to spend.

The fact is, for all his prodigious offensive ability, Prince Fielder makes absolutely zero sense for the Jays.

No one can deny that Fielder has been a phenomenal contributor with the stick. In his first six seasons in the league, he has compiled a 50-plus HR season, a 40-plus HR season, finished in the top five in NL MVP voting three times and maintained a sparkling career OPS of .929. He has been a mortal lock to hit 30 HR, drive in 100 RBI and do hell of a lot of walking every season.

Fielder batting behind Jose Bautista would instantly give the Jays the most potent 3-4 duo in the MLB.

Signing him still doesn’t make any sense.

The reality is that Fielder will get a massive contract. The massiveness of that contract is still unclear, as he may have to lower his length demands to the six- or seven-year range from the eight to 10 years that he has been reported to be seeking, but he will almost certainly be in the $24-26 million range. That is $150 million at a minimum.

Frankly, he likely won’t be worth it to any team, let alone the Jays.

Prince Fielder is a DH. He is not a guy who will have to move over to DH in a few years as he gets older and slows down; he is a DH right now. 

Consider this: In his first season fielding first base in the majors, incumbent Adam Lind, with a total zone rating of plus-three, was worth 10 defensive runs less than Prince Fielder, who possessed a Rtot of minus-seven last season. 2011 was one of Fielder’s better defensive seasons.

Adam Lind, when healthy, has also been a lock for 30 HR and 100 RBI, albeit with markedly fewer walks.

Adam Lind is under team control for five more seasons, if all team options are exercised, at a total of $32.5M. 

Let’s just ruminate on that for a minute. Lind at $32.5M for five—Fielder for one season at $25M. Fielder is, all in all, a superior player to Lind. He has been remarkably consistent in both health and production, whereas Lind has not been consistent on either front.

But the question boils down to this: Is the production that Fielder provides worth $120M (minimum) more than the production of Adam Lind? 

Moreover, given that the Toronto Blue Jays possess one of the league’s better offenses and most miserly owners, is that $120M the best use of the finite amount of money that Rogers might be willing to provide the team? How does it address the Jays’ rotation woes? If Fielder is signed and Lind is traded for pitching, does Lind get a Matt Garza in return? Likely not.

The call for the Blue Jays to sign Fielder is based on a wistfulness for having the league’s best middle of the order. It would be fun to watch. It does not, however, reflect the reality of the Blue Jays’ needs—to improve one of the worst AL pitching staffs. The glaring holes in the rotation must be addressed; Prince Fielder is the solution to another team’s problem.

A $25M DH masquerading as a position player will not get Toronto into the playoffs

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

I see your Albert Pujols and I raise you…

Prince Fielder?

In what is quickly turning into a Boston-New York AL West, the Angels and Rangers are in the process of engaging in a high-stakes arms race in an effort to establish themselves as the top dog in the AL West.

Various reports list the Rangers as one of the potential suitors for free-agent slugger Prince Fielder.  This on top of the fact that they were recently awarded exclusive negotiating rights with Japanese pitching phenom Yu Darvish.  If they do manage to sign both players (which will probably cost them upwards of $300 million, including the $51 million posting fee for Darvish), then they will have essentially wiped out the gains the Angels made when they signed Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson.

And that would be disastrous for Los Angeles.

The Angels, flush with cash after reportedly inking a 20-year, $3 billion cable deal with Fox Sports and looking to get back to the playoffs after missing out the past two seasons, took what they believed was a major step in that direction by signing Pujols and Wilson.  And a major step it was, adding arguably the most dynamic offensive player in baseball in Pujols and pulling off the doubly-sweet move of adding a front line starter in Wilson while subtracting him from the Rangers’ rotation at the same time.

The problem is, they left themselves wide open for a counterattack, and like any aspiring superpower would, the Rangers appear to be doing everything possible to take advantage.  It’s no coincidence that their interest in Fielder appears to have grown after Pujols signed with Los Angeles.  Same for Darvish.  These are textbook responses to the Angels’ moves and if they pull them both off, then the $331 million the Angels spent will have not gained them the massive competitive advantage they were hoping it would. 

Now, I’m not going to sit here and criticize the Angels and owner Arte Moreno for making those deals.  The team’s stated goal is to win a World Series, and there’s no doubt the additions of Pujols and Wilson make them a much better team.   There were also likely more factors involved in those signings (Pujols in particular) than simply gaining a competitive advantage on the field.  (Lobbying for a new ballpark, the aforementioned cable deal, Pujols’ march towards the HR record, etc.)

Strictly from a strategic standpoint, however, I believe the Angels could’ve played their hand much better than they did.

For example, they could’ve quietly indicated their interest in Wilson but waited the six days until after the Darvish posting deadline to sign him.  Maybe the Rangers, thinking Wilson was still in play, might not have gone after Darvish so aggressively.  In that scenario, Darvish’s rights would’ve likely gone to the Blue Jays, who reportedly also made a strong bid.  The end result would’ve been the Rangers lose Wilson to their arch rival and would’ve had no one of that caliber to replace him via free agency.  Advantage: Angels.

And even if the Rangers decided to pursue an ace via trade, say Gio Gonzalez for example, it would’ve cost them multiple top prospects (see what Washington gave up), which also would’ve weakened them long term. 

Second, and this is the big one here, if the Angels truly wanted to put some distance between themselves and the Rangers, they would’ve signed Fielder instead of Pujols.

Why? 

Because there’s no way Texas, after finally recovering from the unmitigated disaster that was Alex Rodriguez and his record-setting $252 million contract, was going to go down that road again.  NO WAY. 

They’ll still pay big money for free agents, but they don’t have the stomach to bring in the highest-paid player in baseball—and the massive expectations that come with it—after seeing what happened the last time they tried that. 

That’s why the Angels should’ve signed Fielder.  Because the Rangers couldn’t possibly have matched that move.  They wouldn’t have signed Pujols and there’s no one else out there who’s remotely comparable.  They would’ve had to have gone with Mitch Moreland (.259/16 HRs/61 RBI and recovering from wrist surgery) or another less than inspiring choice (Michael Young?), and that would’ve given the Angels precisely the kind of competitive advantage they were looking for.   Of course, the Rangers could’ve always traded for someone like Joey Votto but again, it would’ve cost them premium prospects and made them weaker in the process.

Look, we can debate all day about who will have the better career over the next 10 years (for the record, I’ll take Fielder’s numbers from age 27-36 over Pujols’ from age 32-41).  But in the big picture sense, the difference in production is going to be marginal and not all that noticeable.  What would be noticeable, and anything but marginal, is the advantage the Angels would’ve gotten had they ended up with one of those two and Texas did not.  That almost certainly would’ve been the case had they signed Fielder.  It still might be.  But the Angels’ inability to see the big picture could end up putting a big crimp in it.

As Denzel Washington might say, “This is chess, it ain’t checkers!” 

Hopefully the Angels will start seeing it that way.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Right now, the Chicago Cubs are a wreck of a team.

Yes, they have some nice pieces in Starlin Castro and Matt Garza; but they also have a lot of veterans who simply won’t stick around long enough to help the team when the time is right for contention. Carlos Zambrano and Ryan Dempster come off the books after this year (a combined $32 million commitment for 2012), and their starts every fifth day will need to be replaced.

As of right now, it appears the Cubs’ rotation will consist of some combination of Garza, Zambrano, Dempster, Randy Wells, Andrew Cashner, Travis Wood (my analysis of the trade can be read here) and maybe a surprise like Jeff Samardzija, Rodrigo Lopez, Jay Jackson or Robert Whitenack. However, Zambrano and Dempster likely won’t be wearing a Cubs uniform in 2013, and Randy Wells probably shouldn’t be either. I’d even be impressed if any of them, let alone all three, are still on the Cubs roster come August 1st, 2012.

That said, it leaves the Cubs with Cashner, Garza and Wood as the starters who will be around in 2013. Of course, the Cubs won’t mind if Zambrano pitches so well his option vests, as a top-four finish in the Cy Young voting would be welcomed and probably mean the Cubs were in the playoff race until at least September. Odds are, though, that won’t happen. So the Cubs will be needing another arm.

In 2011, Doug Davis, Ramon Ortiz, Casey Coleman, Rodrigo Lopez and James Russell combined for 49 starts for the Cubs. As starters, the group went 10-29 and logged only 245 innings, an exact average of five innings per start. Over those 245 innings, that stalwart group of starters had a 5.91 ERA, 1.70 WHIP, 11.46 H/9, 3.82 BB/9—all simply awful rate stats.

Edwin Jackson and Travis Wood also combined for 49 starts in 2011. Jackson and Wood threw a combined 299.2 IP, going 17-15, with a combined ERA of 4.23, a WHIP of 1.46, 10.21 H/9, 3.0 BB/9, which is better than it seems looking at the stats on face value.

First of all, Jackson is pretty much a lock to throw nearly 200 innings a year, and his 198.2 innings pitched would have put him second on the 2011 Cubs, squeezed between Ryan Dempster (202.1) and Matt Garza (198). Despite seeming to have been around forever, Jackson only turned 28 this year, and has continued to show improvement. Odds are he’d improve even more so if he were to spend more than half a season with any one pitching coach.

Second, Jackson has youth on his side. As opposed to the other free agent options, Edwin Jackson is the youngest starter on the market with proved value. Sure, Hiroki Kuroda is still a quality arm, but he’s not going to get any younger. Joe Saunders is a solid mid- to back-of-the-rotation arm, but how many of those lefties do you really need—or want—on your staff?

Third, Jackson has been to two World Series: in 2008 with Tampa Bay, and this year with the eventual champion St. Louis Cardinals. Sure, he got rocked by the Brewers in the NLCS, but his other postseason pitching is solid. Nothing to write home about, but also nothing to be ashamed of.

Finally, Jackson would be a poaching from a divisional rival. Right now, the Cardinals are trying to convince themselves that Carlos Beltran will be able to replace Albert Pujols in their lineup. Sure, they’ll be getting Adam Wainwright back and won’t need Jackson, their No. 2 starter; but he’d still be a steal from the Cardinals. There seems to be something about the Central division that makes Jackson put up his best numbers (Detroit, the White Sox, and St. Louis).

Conversely, Prince Fielder is a perfect example of the law of diminishing returns. Sure, Fielder can hit great, but so can every other team’s first baseman. The Cubs can’t afford another Soriano situation, with a bad, fat contract hanging over their heads. With guys like Rebel Ridling, Dan Vogelbach and Trevor Gretzky coming through the system, the Cubs can easily afford to pass on Prince. Vogelbach in particular has drawn many comparisons to Fielder.

If the Cubs do decide to grab a free agent first baseman, they could always bring back Derrek Lee or Carlos Pena, both of whom provide quality defense, a solid bat and good clubhouse leadership. Of course, they could also look to alternatives like Casey Kotchman, or even try converting someone to first base like Johnny Damon.

While Scott Boras supposedly wants a John Danks-type deal for Jackson, he won’t muster that. But maybe three years and $35 million could be a realistic offer to get Jackson to add some more youth to Chicago’s rotation. Many thought Jackson would be signed very quickly during the free agent season, assuming he’d be overpaid as the ace that he isn’t. However, signing Jackson for a few years to bolster the top half of Chicago’s rotation could be a wise first major move by Jed Hoyer.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Just like the Albert Pujols negotiations, the Cubs are purposely not trying to quash their reported interest in Prince Fielder, even though they have only a small chance of signing the Milwaukee first baseman.

Yes, the Cubs presented Pujols an offer, but it was one they knew wouldn’t be accepted. It was likely for five years with an average annual salary well above what other teams were offering.

In other words. Theo Epstein and the Cubs were hoping that Albert would take a shorter-term contract worth more per year than the other offers.

But, in reality, they knew that wouldn’t happen.

Still, this kept them in the news and helped stoke the Cubs fan fires as they hoped to retain their season ticket fanbase.

Meanwhile, news keeps coming out that the Cubs are the leading candidate for the services of Fielder.

Not only is that wrong, it has been admitted by Cubs manager Dale Sveum that “At this point, I think it’s a lot of media talk more than us doing anything.” Sveum, who became close to Fielder during six years as a Milwaukee Brewers coach, went on further, “We haven’t had any talks with Prince, and I haven’t had any conversations with him. We haven’t initiated any contact at all.”

But even if the Cubs have told Fielder’s agent, the notorious Scott Boras, that they will jump in at the end, one has to wonder if the former Milwaukee slugger would take a deal much shorter than what Albert received.

It is clear that the Cubs aren’t likely to go past five years in any offer, and that won’t net players like Pujols or Fielder.

The Cubs need to stoke the Cubs fan fire. After all, they have season tickets to sell.  

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Two of the best-hitting free agents have hit the open market this offseason, and teams who are in the market for a first baseman are ready to pounce.

So who is actually the better buy?

Albert Pujols will go down as one of the top three baseball players of all-time, a list that includes Babe Ruth and Willie Mays. He has won two out of the three World Series’ that he has appeared in and is coming off of a World Series run with the St. Louis Cardinals. He hits the free agent market for the first time in his career and is demanding a 10 year, $300 million contract. 

Pujols is a hot commodity this offseason, but he does have competition at the same position in Prince Fielder.

Fielder is a player that is loved around the league and by fans. He has the personality to lift a franchise and bring it to relevance.  

Teams such as the Cubs, Marlins, Giants and even the Rangers are all in the market for a big-hitting first baseman. The Cubs desperately need a new star for their franchise that is revamping in hopes of breaking their World Series curse. The Marlins have a new stadium and need to fill it up by winning, and the Giants have great pitching but desperately need bats. The Texas Rangers have fallen short of winning the World Series two years in a row, and have hitters at every position but first base. Adding Fielder or Pujols would give the Rangers the most prolific batting lineup in MLB history.

Each of these teams will do whatever it takes to sign these guys, but who is the better buy?

Price

Before last season began, Pujols was demanding a $300 million contract at 10 years, which is $25 million more than what Alex Rodriguez signed a few years back. Pujols is a much better player than Rodriguez, and if Pujols was a few years younger, I would believe he deserved the contract. Instead, Pujols would be 41 years old at the end of the contract and his production will not even be close to what it is today. 

Prince would likely command a contract in the vicinity of what Carl Crawford and Mark Teixeira received recently, which is significantly lower then what Pujols is demanding. $200 million is a lot better than $300 million for a similar type of power hitter. If the choice was solely on price than the discounted price of Fielder would be a no-brainer.

Age

At 31 years old, Pujols is four years older than Fielder and is still playing at an MVP level. In a few years, it is likely that Pujols’ bat swing will slow down and his production will decline. An eight-to-10 year contract for a player who is going to be 32 years old by next season is not worth it.

It would make more sense to give that type of contract to Fielder, who plays the same position, is the same type of power hitter and is only 27 years old. 

Marketability 

Baseball needs someone with a likable personality in the realms of Peyton Manning, Shaquille O’Neal and Steve Nash. Although Pujols has been the best player in baseball this decade, he is not recognizable nor marketable.

Prince Fielder has the name, the talent and personality to be that guy for baseball. Fielder was tucked away in the small market of Milwaukee, but if he were to play for a bigger market such as the Cubs or the Rangers he would likely take the league by storm. 

Winning

Albert Pujols has led his Cardinals to seven playoff trips out of his eleven seasons, which is remarkable in professional baseball standards. He has also won two World Series during that span. When you compare that to Fielder’s two post season appearances in his seven-year career then you would think that it is a no-brainer in signing Pujols.

Fielder has never had the supporting cast that Pujols has had. Pujols’ owner has a “win now” mentality every season, while Fielder’s owner has had a tough time retaining and signing players. Fielder is in his prime and continuing the incline of getting better. With a solid supporting cast, I have no doubt that he can lead his teams just as Pujols has. 

Conclusion

The Cardinals have to retain Pujols and will need to do whatever it takes to sign him. The other teams who are in the market for a power-hitting first baseman need to put their full attention on Fielder because they will get the same production from a player who is younger, more marketable and will cost significantly less.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

As of right now, the New York Yankees are basically paying no attention to Prince Fielder or even kicking around the idea of adding him to the team.

While they are set on offense and should be focused on pitching, they should at least entertain the idea of what Fielder can bring to the team.

Fielder would probably be better off playing in the National League just because playing in the American League as a DH would give him the chance to match his weight with his salary.

However, Prince Fielder could do a whole lot of things for the Yankees and here’s why.

Begin Slideshow

Major League Baseball’s annual winter meetings are nearly a week away, and former Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder has yet to meet with any clubs to discuss a new contract.

Countless rumors and whispers around the league have surfaced regarding which team has the best shot at nabbing the burly slugger, but no team has yet to establish themselves as the front-runner in the sweepstakes.

With free agency moving swiftly, here are five teams who look to have the best shot at signing Fielder.

Alec Dopp covers the Milwaukee Brewers as a featured columnist on Bleacher Report.  Read his blog, Brewers Rumors, and follow him on Twitter.

Begin Slideshow