Theo Epstein to Cubs: 5 Reasons He Has to Pay Up for Prince Fielder

Theo Epstein is on his way to Chicago. The now former Boston GM is headed to the Windy City to take on another cursed franchise.

In less than a decade, he brought the Red Sox two championships.

He has a five-year deal with the Cubs. So one World Series isn't asking too much, is it?

Epstein needs to make an immediate impact on the woeful Cubs, and a big name signing like Prince Fielder is a necessity in his first offseason in Chicago.

Here are five reasons why Fielder needs to play at Wrigley next year:

Gaping Hole at First

The Cubs have no first basemen. To make matters worse, the Cubs have no prominent first base prospects either.

Therefore, going after Fielder is a must.

Carlos Pena was signed to a one-year contract specifically so the Cubs could pursue any number of big-named first basemen this year.

Fielder plays first, obviously, and would bring All-Star caliber numbers across the Illinois/Wisconsin border.

Lineup Lacks Punch

The lineup is aged, and most of the Cubs' prospects are of the speedy variety.

A constant power source like Fielder would anchor the third or fourth spot in the order and allow the Cubs to build around him for the next half decade.

If Fielder can provide stability, the rest of the lineup should flourish.

No Power HItter of the Future Currently on the Cubs

The eventual departures of Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez leave massive holes in the the Cubs lineup.

Aside from those two, no one is capable of hitting 25 home runs in a season, and an infusion of juice, legal juice, is needed.

Fielder averages 38 home runs per year, and given his consistency over the past six years, there is no reason to expect anything different in the near future.

Playoff Veteran

The Cubs haven't been the playoffs for a while, and clearly, none of their players of the future has any experience in the postseason.

Besides great regular season numbers, Prince Fielder would also bring solid playoff numbers to the Cubs, if they get there.

Ideally Epstein would be able to make the Cubs into a contender, and players with playoff experience are essential to succeed in October.

Depending how the rest of the season goes, Fielder could become a Cub after winning the World Series in Milwaukee.

Theo Needs to Make a Strong Introduction

Ignoring all of the Fielder's skills and abilities what his signing does is send a message.

Theo is in Chicago to win, and he's not going to do it with half measures.

He needs to make a bold statement with a marquee free agent signing in his first year. Fielder is an obvious candidate to fill this void.

Signing Fielder signals the worst is behind the Cubs and they are looking forward to the near future and its success.