Prince Fielder and the Chicago Cubs: What It Would Mean and How It Could Work

The Milwaukee Brewers' first baseman Prince Fielder becomes a free agent after the World Series. The Brewers signed Ryan Braun to a five-year contract for over $100 million this spring. So there is substantial doubt that the Brewers can afford to sign Fielder to a similar contract, which he has earned.

Some of the usual suspects for signing big-name free agents are set at first base: the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies. Other former big-spending teams like the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers can be ruled out due to their financial difficulties.

So which team needs a first baseman and has the ability to afford Fielder's contract?

There has been speculation that the Cubs might be interested in either Albert Pujols or Fielder. They have $25 million of salary coming off the books in 2012 in just two players, Kosuke Fukudome and Carlos Pena, their current first baseman. Furthermore, during the season Fielder seemed to indicate that he would consider the Cubs.

At third base, Aramis Ramirez indicated that he'll decline his part of the mutual option for 2012 and seek a multi-year deal in free agency. That would be another $14 million coming off the payroll.

So it would be possible for the Cubs to make Fielder a competitive offer if they want to.  But there are several reasons the team might chose not to do so:

1. The horrendous long-term contracts with Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Zambrano might cause a new general manager to be gun-shy.
2. If they spend all their money on Fielder and don't fill other lineup holes, there would be inadequate lineup protection for him, and he would end up leading the league in intentional walks.
3. Typically, you don't spend a lot of money on a big star unless he is the last missing piece needed on a very competitive team to make a pennant run. Clearly the Cubs are not in that position.

But I think that the overriding consideration would be Fielder himself. Having had his taste of a run in the playoffs this year, why would he want to play for a perennial loser ?