Kuzul

Life moves on.

I’ve now had a month to come to terms with the heartbreaking end to what was arguably the best season in franchise history for Milwaukee. I have come to terms with the fact that the Brewers have a lot of work to do if they want to win 96 games next season, that we are losing one of our best coaches to one of our bitter rivals and perhaps most importantly, I have come to terms with the probability Prince Fielder will not be wearing a Brewers uniform in 2012.

Sure, there is still a possibility that Prince can return next year, especially with what appears to be a very small market for his services, but it is becoming apparent that Mark Attanasio, Doug Melvin, and the rest of the Brewers brass are making plans to build a team without Prince Fielder for the first time since 2006.

It is a bitter pill to swallow, and the task the Brewers face heading into the offseason may seem insurmountable on the surface.

We’re losing one of the most feared hitters in baseball, and on top of replacing his production, the Brewers must now figure out how to protect Ryan Braun so his production can remain prolific.

For a week now, I have been trying to figure out an article about how to replace Prince Fielder. Initially, I was going to write about five potential players that could fill his hole at first base, but to say that one player will replace the production and the presence of Prince Fielder is ludicrous.

I also tried writing a five step process that could help the Brewers replace Prince, but even that just didn’t seem to do the trick.

The simple fact of the matter is that the Brewers simply cannot replace Prince Fielder… and I have come to terms with that.

Signing Jose Reyes, Aramis Ramirez or any other big name free agent would not be enough. Both of those players would be great additions to the Brewers, but realistically, neither will happen. Even if they did, Prince’s presence would still be sorely missed.

The good news is that even without Fielder in the clubhouse in 2012, the Brewers are going to be just fine.

Sure, there is a lot of work to be done this offseason. With no organizational shortstop ready to move to the big leagues, and no major league shortstop currently on the roster, the Brewers must make a move to fill the most difficult position in the infield.

Whether that’s a big ticket guy like Jose Reyes or Jimmy Rollins, a reliable veteran like Clint Barmes or Rafael Furcal or even bringing back Yuniesky Betancourt, the decision must be made soon to provide some sense of stability to this team.

Finances are an issue for this team, but the big men in the office for the Brewers have made it clear that they are not afraid to spend some money to make this team competitive.The trick for the Brewers this offseason is not going to be dumping a ton of money into big ticket free agents.

Most people talk as if Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun are the only superstars on this team. Even with Fielder gone, the Brewers still have Rickie Weeks (providing he has an injury free year) and Corey Hart, both of whom are coming off great seasons and  have the potential to be superstars.

Mat Gamel has given us back to back great seasons in AAA, and it is time to give him a chance. Some people try to argue that he has been given a chance, but let’s get real… he’s had under 200 at bats in the majors, and has not been given a chance to compete every day. If coached properly, he could give the Brewers 20+ homers and 80+ RBIs, as well as solid defense.

Casey McGehee is coming off a horrible season, but he has every chance to bounce back—if he can get back to the way he played in 2010, that will be another great bat. If he doesn’t, young Taylor Green has proven that he is capable of great play in the majors.

And of course, the pitching. The whole starting rotation will be back (and possibly extended), and while the bullpen will need work with three of the best arms possibly leaving, I have great faith that the Brewers will be able to make the bullpen a strong point again next season.

John Axford is anchoring the pen as the closer, and anytime you have a shutdown pitcher like Axford (2011: 1.95 ERA, 46 SVs, 73.2 IP, 86 Ks) finishing games, you are in good shape.

The Brewers do not need to try to “replace” Prince Fielder’s insane production. It would be a waste of time, effort and very likely, a colossal waste of money.

What the Brewers need to do is focus on building a team that plays better defense, has speed on the bases, gets through the game without giving up big innings and gets on base.Those are goals that are possible without Fielder, and if the Brewers do that they will be in great shape going into 2012.

Projected 2012 opening day line-up (2011 stats)

1 – Corey Hart (.285, 26 HR, 63 RBI)

2 – Nyjer Morgan (.304, 4 HR, 37 RBI)

3 – Ryan Braun (.332, 33 HR, 111 RBI)

4 – Rickie Weeks (.269, 20 HR, 49 RBI)

5 – Casey McGehee (.223, 13 HR, 67 RBI)

6 – Mat Gamel (.310, 28 HR, 96 RBI) – AAA stats

7 – Clint Barmes (.244, 12 HR, 39 RBI)

8 – Jonathan Lucroy (.265, 12 HR, 58 RBI)

9 – Yovani Gallardo/Starting pitcher

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Although it is much more uncommon to see tattooed athletes in Major League Baseball when compared with the NBA or the NFL, there are still a number of players who sport the ink. 

From players covered in body art, such as Ryan Roberts of the Arizona Diamondbacks, to the players who are a bit more tame with their tats, I’ll compose a team of these players if they played on the same team. 

Position by position, this is what the tatted team would look like:

Begin Slideshow

With the hiring of Dale Sveum as manager of the Chicago Cubs, spell checks, along with Major League Baseball’s “Hot Stove,” have overheated. Free agency has revolved around the two biggest first basemen, Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols, so the question must be raised; could Dale Sveum’s hiring give the Cubs the upper hand in acquiring Prince Fielder?

Dale Sveum was brought on immediately following Fielder’s best slugging season, where he hit 50 home runs and drove in 119 runs, finishing third in Most Valuable Player voting. Allowing a year for Sveum to understand Fielder’s tendencies, while also improving the players hitting around him, 2009 was a banner year for Fielder.

In 2009, Prince Fielder had a slash line of .299/.412/.602 along with an OPS better than his 2007 season (1.014). The statistic that should prove Sveum’s worth not only to a franchise, but players themselves, is the 141 RBI that Fielder hit in 2009. This statistic shows that with Sveum as a mentor, Fielder surpassed his career high in RBI, by 22 runs. It’s a testament to Fielder’s consistency but also shows an ability by Sveum to improve the hitters around someone with power.

The Chicago Cubs have hit home runs in the front office, and now, they’ve done the same with the hiring of Dale Sveum as manager. Assuming Rudy Jaramillo is retained by the incoming staff, Sveum has undoubtedly given Chicago the best chance in the league of acquiring Prince Fielder.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder will be one of this winter’s most coveted free agents. The 27-year-old slugger will have plenty of options when selecting his new home, which could still turn out to be his old home.

Here are the three most likely landing spots for Fielder.

3. Milwaukee Brewers

Fielder is a perfect fit in Milwaukee alongside Ryan Braun. The two of them play with a carefree attitude that would allow the first baseman to play without the pressure of a new team expecting him to be Superman. But as with so many decisions in sports, it will come down to money.

The Brewers have said they will do everything their budget will allow to keep Fielder, and rightfully so. He has 230 home runs and 200 doubles in his career and has become one of the most feared hitters in the National League.

Since there will be so many teams competing for his services, Fielder will probably have to take a hometown discount in order to remain in Milwaukee.

2. Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles are stuck in the AL East and if they plan on competing with the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays, they’ll need to either start signing some elite free agents or developing more pitching prospects at a rapid rate.

Fielder’s arrival could allow Baltimore to let Mark Reynolds move to DH, which is where he belongs to maximize his value because he’s atrocious in the field. Also, it would deepen Baltimore’s lineup and lessen the pressure on players like Nolan Reimold and Matt Wieters.

One move certainly wouldn’t make the Orioles a worst-to-first candidate, of course, but it would be a step in the right direction.

1. Chicago Cubs

New president of baseball operations Theo Epstein will be looking to make a big splash in his first offseason at the helm of the Cubs, and what better way to make his presence felt than stealing a star from a division rival?

Chicago has a lot of nice pieces, but the Cubs still have some holes to fill before they are playoff contenders again. And with Carlos Pena’s likely departure, first base is one of those holes. Fielder would be the perfect fit.

Epstein will likely spend most of the winter hunting down underrated starting pitchers, but his biggest splash could come with the acquisition of Fielder.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The deal is done.  Tom Ricketts has pulled off what many would have described as the impossible only a month ago.  Theo Epstein has quit his position as GM for the Boston Red Sox and accepted the job of President of Baseball Operations for the Chicago Cubs, bringing with him Jed Hoyer as the new GM. 

Ricketts now has his baseball guy to watch his baseball guy.  After the purchase of the team, Ricketts had two stated goals.  First, to build an infrastructure that develops talent from within.  Second, to field a team that can contend for the World Series every year.  The hiring of marquee talent such as Epstein and Hoyer proves his commitment to the first goal.  Giving them the green light to acquire Prince Fielder would prove a much needed commitment to the second.

The Cubs will have approximately $50 million coming off of the books for the 2012 season.  An explanation of my math can be seen here.  Even if Ricketts chooses to reduce payroll going forward, the Cubs can still afford either of the two biggest free agents this offseason, Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols. 

Pujols is 31 years old, maybe.  He wants one last contract that will make him the highest paid player in MLB history, $300 million over 10 years.  This is simply too high of a price for a player that we can reasonable expect to see a decline in ability from only a few years from now.  The team that gives him this contract is going to significantly overpay in the last years.

Fielder is 27 and reportedly looking for $20 million a year.  Someone is going to give him that for seven or eight years.  Paying Fielder $20 million in his final year at age 35 looks a whole lot better than paying Pujols $30 million at age 41.  In fact, $30 million at ages 39, 40 and 41 would make Soriano’s contract look palatable. 

After the past few seasons, Cubs fans need a reason to come out to Wrigley in 2012.  Let’s hope that Tom Ricketts is as serious about winning now as he is about winning in the future.

More Cubs Articles:

Cubs: First Base Options for 2012

Cubs: 6 Expiring Contracts and $50 Million that Will Help Epstein

Cubs GM Epstein: Get Quade Out, Bring Sandberg In

Wrigley Field Tear Down Plan That Cubs Fans Will Love

Cubs: Third Base Options for 2012

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

After a magnificent 2011 regular season in which he produced massive MVP-caliber numbers, Prince Fielder has solidified himself as this offseason’s hottest free-agent commodity.  

The only question is, where will he sign?

Several teams will battle it out for the right to MLB‘s most famous vegetarian, but some are beginning to separate themselves from the pack as the postseason winds down.

With the offseason just around the corner, here’s an in-depth look at the six teams most likely to nab Fielder this winter.

Alec Dopp covers the Milwaukee Brewers as a Featured Columnist on Bleacher Report.  Follow him on Twitter: @alecdopp, and read his blog.

Begin Slideshow

The short answer to the question posed in the headline is very simple: Because he plays in Milwaukee.

So why write an entire opinion piece on the subject? Because Ryan Braun should be a superstar.

Ryan Braun does everything you want a superstar to do. Does he hit for average? .312 career, .332 this season. Does he hit for power? More than 30 homers a season every year except 2010, when he hit 25. His career OPS is .933; did you just read that? .933!

Do you know who has a lower career OPS than Braun? Jason Giambi, Ryan Howard, Carlos Delgado, Mike Piazza, Ken Griffey Jr., Joe Mauer and even his more-famous teammate Prince Fielder.

But Fernando, you might say, I don’t like your old school “Joe Morgan” stats. What’s his WAR?

In 2011: a preposterous 7.8 WAR. He’s averaged five WAR in his career. The kid is freaking good.

So why isn’t he on the cover of any baseball video games? Why doesn’t he have a lucrative paper towel endorsement? Come on, the Braun-y paper towel guy? This stuff writes itself.

He’s even got a cool nickname (according to Wikipedia): The Hebrew Hammer. Fear his mighty hammer, and his, er, Judaism? Anyway, awesome nickname!

Braun also isn’t the Darryl Strawberry type. He doesn’t get into any trouble, no drug problems, or DUIs or arrests (that we know of). He’s got those wholesome good looks, and he appears to be a nice guy; in April, a female fan made a marriage proposal to Braun via a stadium sign, even including her phone number. Even though Braun has a girlfriend, he called the number and tried to leave a voicemail, but the mailbox was full.

What more do you want from him?!

The East Coast bias in sports coverage is obvious to everyone who lives west of the Mississippi. ESPN refuses to acknowledge any team outside the East Coast (except for the Dallas Cowboys), so our sports knowledge suffers. Can you even name three players on the Indiana Pacers? I know they have Danny Granger, and…um…I’ll get back to you on that.

If Braun played for the Red Sox or Yankees, you’d be sick and tired of him. You’d hear his name 10 times a day, every day, and Buster Olney or Ken Rosenthal would be writing sonnets professing their love for the mighty Braun.

Instead, Braun’s not even the most famous guy on his own team. Instead it’s Fielder and his enormous waistline that get all the publicity.

In fact, the only people who seem to give Braun any attention are the employees in Milwaukee’s front office—because he got paid.

Milwaukee was facing a tough decision a few years ago: You have two offensive monsters (Braun and Fielder), both in their 20s, but you can’t possibly afford them both. So who do you choose? You choose the Hebrew Hammer.

So first the Brewers signed Braun to a $45 million extension in 2008. Then they saw that Braun continued to hit a baseball really, really far, and now he’s signed through 2020 for about $145 million. That will buy you a lot of beer and brats.

Milwaukee clearly understands the kind of superstar it has on the roster—so why don’t you, America? 

Fernando Gallo promises he is not a publicist for Ryan Braun. Find more foolish analysis, along with the occasional witty comment, on his  feed.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Ryan Braun is this year’s NL MVP.

Other players might be in the discussion, namely Matt Kemp, Prince Fielder, Joey Votto, Albert Pujols and Justin Upton, but at the end of the season Braun should be adding to a trophy case that already contains Rookie of the Year and three Silver Sluggers.

Braun, who is hitting .332, trails NL Leader Jose Reyes by just one point.

He leads the National League in On-Base plus Slugging percentage (OPS), baseball’s best measure of offensive output, at .987.  He’s one of just three plays in the senior circuit with at least a .400 On-Base and .550 Slugging Percentage (Kemp is just outside with a .399 OBP).  Only Votto (.985) is within 20 points of Braun.

Braun has put together such an incredible OPS through a balanced offensive attack. A patient slugger, he’s walked enough that his On-Base is 70 points over his impressive batting average.  He has 25 homers, 35 doubles and five triples, giving him 65 extra-base hits already – more than any of his potential MVP counterparts except for Upton (68).

Currently leading the league in runs with 93 and sitting fifth in RBI at 91, Braun should easily eclipse the century mark in both fields before season’s end.

Among this group, Pujols’s 51 strikeouts are the only total less than Braun’s 79.  Fielder (88) is the only other player under 100.

Of potential MVP candidates, Braun’s 31 steals trail only Kemp’s 37.  Braun, however, is a more efficient stealer than Kemp, stealing bags at an 86% success rate compared to Kemp’s 82%.  In fact, Braun’s rate is better than anyone in the top 10 in stolen bases except for Cameron Maybin, whose 32-for-37 barely bests Braun’s 31-for-36.

Braun is also the best hitter, and No. 3 batter for a Brewers club that has opened up an impressive 8.5 game lead in the NL Central.  The magic number to clinch their first division crown since 1982, when they were in the American League, is 16.  So with 23 games remaining and 24 for the division rival St. Louis Cardinals, any combination of 16 Milwaukee wins plus St. Louis losses will earn them a trip to the playoffs.  If the Braun-led Brew Crew plays just one game under .500 the rest of the way, St. Louis would have to go 19-4 just to force a tie.

The other players have all had tremendous seasons of their own, and each deserves some consideration, but ultimately none stack up to the season Braun has put together.

Begin Slideshow

Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder bat on opposite sides of the plate, Fielder’s voluminous frame on the left and Pujols’ chiseled figure to the right.

Fielder, 27, was born in Ontario, Calif., and was selected seventh overall in the 2002 MLB amateur draft by the Milwaukee Brewers.

Pujols, 31, hails from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and wasn’t bagged in the 1999 draft until the 13th round by the St. Louis Cardinals.

They look nothing alike, speak different native dialects and clearly subject themselves to contrasting dietary regimens.

On the other hand, both play first base for their respective ball clubs, and share an additional commonality that is to be the focal point of baseball media come the last out of the World Series this fall.

The pair will become the two highest sought after free agents in the offseason, and mutually swell from wealthy, to down right filthy rich.

Baltimore, Chicago (Cubs), Los Angeles (Angles), Colorado and Washington are all drooling at the thought of bolstering their respective lineups with either of the thunderous sluggers, but whom would they prefer? 

And what are the odds that either can be resigned by their current club?

Chances are greater that Pujols re-ups in St. Louis, than for Milwaukee to open up its checkbook for Fielder.

Milwaukee is locked into outfielder Corey Hart for two more seasons, second baseman Rickie Weeks for three, outfielder Ryan Braun until 2020 and has two star pitchers (Shaun Marcum and Zack Greinke) who they would obviously love to sign to long-term deals in the near future.

Remember, the Brewers are financially a mid-market team, who rank 17th in payroll at roughly $85 million for 2011.

Adrian Gonzalez set the bar for first-base bombers when he agreed to a seven-year extension with the Red Sox for $154 million before the season.

Gonzalez was coming off a campaign in which he batted .298, with 31 home runs and 101 RBI for San Diego. Keep in mind Petco Park is widely considered the most difficult place to hit home runs in all of baseball.

At 29, Gonzalez fits between our two sluggers in age, and had a track record of four-straight seasons with at least 30 long balls.  He batted in at least 100 runs three of the last four seasons, with 99 in the other.

Aided by his unscrupulous super-agent Scott Boras, Fielder will presumptively be seeking to surpass Gonzalez’s arrangement in Boston. 

Currently leading the National League with 59 RBI, and second with 19 homers, Fielder is surely going to make the franchise that goes all in for his services pay through the teeth.

Four-straight seasons with at least 30 homers—he touched 50 in 2007, and became, along with his father Cecil, the only father-son duo to both reach that mark in an MLB season—headlines his resume.  Also worthy of note were the 141 runs he helped plate in 2009.

Although 2010 was a down year for Prince, he still reached 30 home runs and 80 RBI while struggling to the tune of a .261 BA.  Boy, has he come back with a vengeance at just the right time.

Pujols is suffering from the inverse ailment: drooping statistically at precisely the wrong time—his walk year.

After two-straight 40 moonshot seasons—never launching less than 30 in his 10 years—Albert began the season ice cold.  Even with four round trippers and 10 hits in his last 10 games, he is still holding an uncharacteristic .275 BA and .491 SLG.

Before play began this season, there was little debate that Pujols was the top slugger in the game.  A career .329 hitter with a 1.041 lifetime SLG, there was little argument to be made for any other hitter even being in his wheelhouse.

Naysayers may claim that Pujols is reaching a breaking point where his prime years are behind him, and a gradual decline in production is inevitable.

On the flip side, Pujols has been an extremely resilient hitter for the Cardinals, and until now, never displayed even a hint of slowing down offensively.

By reputation, Pujols is stronger defensively than Fielder, but the various sabermetric tools contend the difference to be slimmer than believed.

Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) from Fangraphs.com places a run value on defensive efficiency, attempting to show how many runs a player saves or allows through fielding.

This season, Pujols ranks fifth with 1.7 runs and Fielder sits 12th at 0.4.

While many defensive calculations can be used to argue for or against either player, it is doubtful that much of the contract negotiations will stray from offensive contributions.

There are whispers that a team could attempt to lure Fielder into a designated hitter role in the American League, but this early in his career, it is speculative at best to think so.

Wins Above Replacement (WAR) is a sabermetric tool that attempts to quantify a player’s total contribution by comparison to an average minor-league or bench player. Without delving into the minutia of the calculations, a WAR of 0 simply means the player is on par with a “replacement level” competitor.

As we near the mid-point of the season, Fielder’s WAR is 3.2, third among all first baseman, while Pujols checks in at 2.3.

In 2010, Pujols was the top dog at his position by WAR ranking at 7.5.  Fielder, having the worst season of his young career, finished with 3.4 WAR.

And 2009 saw the duo finish first and second in WAR rankings amongst first basemen; Pujols was good for 8.9 WAR, and Fielder 6.4 WAR.

Length of contract shouldn’t be an issue for Fielder’s suitors; any franchise seriously considering an investment in his services will enter the sweepstakes knowing that seven years will be a starting point.

Cardinals GM John Mozeliak couldn’t come to terms with Pujols before spring training, and rumors of El Hombre seeking double-digit years in a deal were rampant.

St. Louis has already breached the $100-million mark for team payroll in 2011, and that includes just under $15 million for Albert.

His next contract will basically double his per-year cost, making it extremely difficult for St. Louis to shuffle its roster without skyrocketing payroll.

Unlike with Fielder’s negotiations, age will be an integral factor.  How many high-performing 40-year-olds are there in baseball?

So, if both players fail to resign with their respective team, who is the better pursuit?

Could either player be lured to the American League, or even to a designated hitter’s role in Fielder’s case? 

Is Pujols’ slow start just an aberration, or the first sign of a gradual degeneration for baseball’s most feared batter?

No matter what the future holds for the ball-crushing duo, only one thing is certain: they are both going to get paid.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Several teams have very good players in their three, four and five holes in the batting order. However I don’t think any are as good as the St. Louis Cardinals this season. Matt Holliday, Albert Pujols and Lance Berkman are as good as it gets.

As I write this article, Holliday is the National League’s leading hitter, and Berkman is in second place, both batting over .400.

In OBP, Holliday is in first place and Berkman in third.

Pujols is perhaps the best player in MLB, having won three MVP awards (and being runner up in four more), and averages .330/.424/42/128 per 162 games for his career.

The Milwaukee Brewers have great third and fourth hitters, in Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder but Casey McGehee is not on the same plane as Berkman.

Since Braun moved from third base to left field, he has become one of the best rounded hitters in the game today.  Entering his fifth MLB season, he is averaging .309/.368/37/118.  He led the NL in hits in 2009 with 203.

Prince Fielder, who joined his father Cecil in the 50 HR club in 2007 with 50 round-trippers, has averaged 37 HR and 105 RBI over his six years in the major leagues.

The New York Yankees, who should have the best team money can buy, can’t match the trio that the Cardinals put on the field, even with the 10th player.

Robinson Cano who is undoubtedly the best second baseman in the junior circuit, had a career year in 2010, finishing third in MVP voting.

His two high-profile teammates that should be mentioned in a list such as this are third baseman Alex Rodriguez and first baseman Mark Teixeira.

Rodriguez, a three-time MVP winner, is currently sixth on the career HR list with 618. Since coming to the Bronx in 2004, he is averaging 43 HR and 134 RBI. These stats are actually a shade above his career numbers meaning he has had no noticeable decline in his productivity.

The only time Teixeira has had fewer than 30 HR or 100 RBI was his rookie year of 2003 with the Texas Rangers. He led the AL in HR, RBI and TB in 2009.

The only other team that I believe has a comparable 3-4-5 hitting combo is the Boston Red Sox. Adrian Gonzalez (acquired this offseason from San Diego), Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz are clearly a fearful sight to opposing pitchers.

The durable first baseman Gonzalez has averaged 161 games over the past three seasons. During that period he has averaged 36 HR and 108 RBI.

“Big Papi” Ortiz has the power and run productivity of the others, but his .281 career average is sub-par in comparison.

Third baseman Kevin Youkilis, who has played a lot of first base for the Bosox, is not the offensive threat as others mentioned in this article, but is a menacing threat to pitchers.

Can any team in MLB  match the power and batting prowess of the St. Louis edition of “Murderer’s Row”? Not in my opinion.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com