MLB Free Agents 2012: Nationals Emerging as Favorites for Prince Fielder

Prince Fielder's journey through free agency could be coming to an end sooner rather than later. Bill Ladson of MLB.com is reporting that the Washington Nationals have met with Scott Boras to discuss the 27-year-old first baseman. 

It does not appear that a deal is close to being done, but all of that can change in an instant if the right dollar figure is put out there. 

According to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Nationals are starting to separate themselves from the pack.

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An MLB official told me over the weekend that word is spreading in the industry that the Washington Nationals have emerged as a favorite to sign free-agent first baseman Prince Fielder.

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For public record, the Nationals have played down any interest they might have in Fielder. General manager Mike Rizzo said recently that "unless something extraordinary and out of the ordinary" happened, he was planning to go with Adam LaRoche at first base in 2012. 

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What exactly that means right now is unclear, but if the Nationals were to a make serious bid on him no one would be surprised. 

They see their window of opportunity to compete in the National League East opening as we move closer to the 2012 season.

It would be hard to argue with them, especially considering they will have a full season of Stephen Strasburg to go along with Jordan Zimmerman in the rotation.

I didn't like the Gio Gonzalez deal, but it's possible that pitching in the National League will help him maintain his 2011 performance even though he won't have Oakland's spacious park to back him up. 

Fielder would be an immediate upgrade for the offense, and in two years when Bryce Harper is finally broken into the big leagues and understands the pitching, they could form the best 3-4 combination in the game. 

It doesn't sound like anything is close to being done, but the Nationals would certainly be wise to keep the lines of communication with Scott Boras open. 

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