2012 MLB Free Agents: Albert Pujols and Stars Bound to Hit the Market

With the 2011 MLB season coming to an end with a St. Louis Cardinals World Series victory, the natural question about next season have rushed to the fore front.

The biggest focus of the chatter will be Albert Pujols of the Cardinals who could become the highest paid player in the history of the sport.

There is a chance that he takes a hometown discount, but odds say he leads a star studded free agency pool in 2012 that could hearken in a new era of baseball.

Albert Pujols—The St. Louis Cardinals are defending World Series Champions, and they would be foolish to allow their biggest star to hit the free agency market, but if he decides to test the water he will realize it’s time to move on.

Pujols has won two World Series titles during his time with the Cardinals, and it may be time for a change in the veteran slugger’s routine.

If Pujols does hit the market, expect every team under the sun to put a bid on the star, including the Cardinals arch enemy Chicago Cubs

Prince Fielder—The Milwaukee Brewers don’t have the money to re-sign Prince Fielder after dumping a ton of money onto Ryan Braun’s plate, and that means Fielder is free agency bound.

Fielder will be the poor man’s Albert Pujols this season, and the team that eventually loses out in the bidding war for Pujols will set their sights on Fielder.

While the Brewers will put in a bid, they will most likely give no hometown discount, and he may in fact favor a change.

Jimmy Rollins—The Philadelphia Phillies already have one of the largest payrolls in the big leagues, and to sign Rollins may be just too much for the team to spend.

While the shortstop has been a great asset for the team, Rollins will be testing the free agency market this season and will become a big spot hitter for the front end of a team’s lineup.

Rollins won’t put up the numbers he did when he won the MVP in 2007, but he can be a spark plug that gets the rest of a lineup going.

Check back for more on the MLB regular season as it comes, and check out Bleacher Report’s Baseball Page to get your fill of MLB.

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