Albert Pujols vs. Prince Fielder: Who is the Best 2012 Free Agent Signing?

There is no question that Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols are the two best free agents available for next season.

These two first base perennial all-stars have given managers nightmares the last few seasons and will certainly be dangerous for many seasons to come.  The question is, who is better?

No one can doubt that Pujols and Fielder will make an immediate impact for the team they sign with next season, but who will be able to transform a team from a playoff contender to a World Series contender?

Here is a list of why Albert Pujols is a better free agent signing than Prince Fielder.

Playoff Experience

With a poor performance by Fielder in his only playoff appearance in 2008, the edge goes to Pujols. In the 2008 postseason, Fielder batted .071 with one home run and two RBIs.

Pujols however, has made the postseason six times with the Cardinals. In those six seasons, twice Pujols has been with the World Series champs. His postseason stats are not too shabby. In the 12 post-season series Albert Pujols has played, he has batted .322, has an on-base percentage of .431, with 13 home runs and 36 RBIs.

The Cardinals most likely won't make the postseason this year. Fielder and the Brewers will, giving Fielder a chance to prove he can do well in the postseason. 

Consistency

With at least 32 home runs, a .297 batting average and 93 RBI in each of his first 11 seasons, Pujols is the optimum of consistency. No current player even comes close to those numbers. He is also very durable. The fewest amount of games Pujols has played is 133, and that is this year.

Fielder's power is there, but his hits and average can fluctuate.

Can Single-Handedly Carry a Team

The Brewers were clear in who they believed was the best player on their team. There was a reason Ryan Braun was chosen over Prince Fielder. He is a better all-around player. Fielder has always had Ryan Braun to hit in front of him so pitchers could be selective with their pitches.

Pujols hasn't always had Matt Holliday to take some of the load off. He's had to take advantage of that one mistake an opposing pitcher might make.

Pujols has two World Series to back up his importance to the team. Fielder has one postseason appearance, and his team lost in the first round.

Better Average/Strikeout Less

Strikeouts is a stat one tends to overlook, but it is significant. It doesn’t matter if a ball is hit two feet; putting the ball in play can lead to errors from the opposing team, sacrifices and runs. It puts more pressure on the defense compared to a strikeout.

The most times Fielder has struck out in a single season is 138 times. He is averaging about 120-130 strikeouts per year. The most times Pujols has struck out was in his rookie season when he fanned 93 times. Since then, Pujols hasn’t struck out more than 76 times.

Better Fielder

There is an old saying that defense wins championships. Fielder is not an ideal first baseman and neither was Pujols at the start of his career.

With vast improvements to his defense, and winning two gold gloves in the process, Pujols is clearly the better fielder.

Not A Hot Head

Sometimes a run-in with an opposing team can get players on your side, but too much fighting can be counter productive.

Fielder has had multiple fights and acts of showboating that have cost his teammates a few balls thrown at them, and I'm sure they aren’t happy with him.

The rare times Pujols gets mad, it is for a reason, and players aren’t afraid to have his back.

Better Wins Above Replacement

One word describes Pujols—WAR—and that is unbelievable. It is hard to fathom that since 2005, Pujols has finished first every year in the National League in WAR.

The highest Fielder has finished is sixth in 2009. Other than that, he hasn’t made the top 10 in any other year.

Only Reason Fielder Can Be a Better Free Agent Signing: Youth

Fielder is four years younger than Pujols, but with new ways to improve conditioning and Pujols showing very little sign of decline, it is hard to argue the point for Fielder.