Albert Pujols to the Chicago Cubs and 10 Unreal Moves That Will Never Happen

Baseball’s offseason gives every team a chance to build a contender for the following season, as once Spring Training arrives, every team is back in contention.

Through re-signing key free agents from their own team to signing players away from opposing teams to scanning the trade market for the right deal to strengthen their lineup, the offseason gives general managers a number of different ways to improve their teams.

However, not every transaction may be realistic.

Just because a player is available through free agency or a trade does not mean that every team is a contender for acquiring that player.

Here are 10 unreal moves that will never happen.

Albert Pujols to the Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs finished 71-91 last season and have a payroll of over $120 million dollars. 

They may also be in the market for a first baseman this offseason, as Carlos Pena joins Prince Fielder as first basemen available through free agency.

However, this offseason’s group of free agent first basemen also includes a player who is a lifetime .328 batter with 445 career home runs and 2,073 hits.

But just because Albert Pujols plays a position that may be open in Chicago’s lineup does not mean that he will be playing there next season.

Pujols may be looking for a deal worth over $200 million this offseason.  Chicago has over $40 million committed to four players next season and may also be in the market for a third baseman if Aramis Ramirez signs elsewhere.

Chicago also may decide to spend money on their pitching for next season, as the team had the third-highest ERA in the National League last season.

Pujols may fit with Chicago, but the team could also spread their money around to other positions on the team.

Roy Oswalt to the New York Yankees

The New York Yankees have already extended CC Sabathia’s contract so as to ensure that the front of their rotation is solidified for the next few seasons. 

However, after Sabathia, no starter threw over 200 innings, struck out over 200 batters or had an ERA of 3.00 or less.

And if the team decides not to pay upwards of $50 million for a starter such as C.J. Wilson, they may turn their attention to Roy Oswalt.

Oswalt went 9-10 with a 3.69 ERA and 93 strikeouts last season, and has won 159 games in his career.

But Oswalt may prefer to remain in the National League or sign with a team that plays closer to his home in Mississippi.

New York may also be hesitant to sign Oswalt after he missed 53 games last season with a back injury.  But as the offseason continues, the chance to add a veteran pitcher to a rotation that features Sabathia may interest New York enough to attempt to sign Oswalt despite his recent injury.

Or the match may just be too unlikely to occur.

C.J. Wilson to the Los Angeles Angels

With CC Sabathia signing an extension with New York, C.J. Wilson may be the top starting pitcher available this offseason. 

Wilson went 16-7 with a 2.94 ERA last season, finishing in the top 10 in the American League in wins, strikeouts, ERA, innings pitched and winning percentage.

Wilson’s addition to a team such as the Los Angeles Angels, who had the lowest team ERA in the American League last season, could help the team’s chances of unseating the Texas Rangers as AL West champions.

However, Los Angeles also has nearly $80 million committed to five players next season.  This is the same amount of money that Wilson may be looking for in his next deal, and would push the team’s payroll over $140 million.

Wilson’s addition to Los Angeles’ rotation could help the team return to the playoffs for the first time since 2009.

But Wilson’s next deal, as well as Los Angeles’ current payroll, makes this match a long shot.

Jimmy Rollins to the San Francisco Giants

Jimmy Rollins may be the top free agent shortstop this offseason following Jose Reyes and is expected to sign for as much as $50 million less than Reyes’ next deal.

The San Francisco Giants may be in the market for a shortstop this offseason and a player who can help the team improve their second-lowest team batting average in the National League last season.

Rollins batted .268 with 16 home runs and 63 RBI last season.

However, San Francisco had just one player who played in over 100 games last season who also batted over .280.

This means that any money given to Rollins, who may be looking for a five-year deal, could be spent on multiple areas of the team’s lineup rather than spending on one position.

Rollins may look to play on the West Coast next season, and San Francisco may be in the market for a shortstop, but any money spent by San Francisco this offseason could be used on other areas of the team.

Prince Fielder to the Los Angeles Dodgers

Any team that misses out on signing Albert Pujols can turn their attention to Prince Fielder this offseason. 

But although Fielder’s next deal won’t be as expensive as Pujols’, it will still be enough to make him one of the highest-paid free agents this offseason.

So a team such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, who may be looking to bounce back from a season that saw the team feature one of the best batters and pitchers in the National League but who missed the playoffs, may have to pay over $150 million to sign Fielder.

Los Angeles finished 82-79 last season and may have to sign players such as Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and Clayton Kershaw to long-term deals this offseason.

Which makes the signing of Fielder unlikely.

Los Angeles had four players who played in over 130 games last season and also batted over .280.  However, the team had the fifth-lowest home run total in the National League.

Los Angeles may attempt to sign a player who can fit into their lineup and hit for power, while signing some of their own players to long-term deals.

Fielder may not be the best match.

Jose Reyes to the Atlanta Braves

Shortstop may be an area that the Atlanta Braves attempt to fill this offseason. 

But with the outfield another area to look at as well as a lineup that had the fourth-lowest team batting average in the National League last season, a deal worth over $100 million may be too much to give to one player.

Which means that Jose Reyes may be too expensive for Atlanta to sign to be their starting shortstop next season.

Reyes batted .337 with seven home runs and 44 RBI last season.

Atlanta had the lowest team batting average versus left-handed pitching in the National League last season—an area in which Reyes could help improve.

Or the team could use the money to sign both a shortstop and outfielder, as well as solidify their pitching staff.

Reyes may fit into Atlanta’s lineup, but that doesn’t mean the move will happen.

San Francisco Giants Trade Tim Lincecum

The San Francisco Giants may attempt to sign one of this offseason’s marquee free agents, although their current payroll is one of the 10 highest in major league baseball.

But trading Tim Lincecum may not be the best move for gaining money to spend this offseason.

Lincecum went 13-14 with a 2.74 ERA last season and has reached double-digit wins in each of the past four seasons. 

He is also eligible for arbitration this offseason and is set to make more than the $14 million he made this season.

But trading away a top pitcher from a pitching staff that had the second-best team ERA in the National League last season to improve an offense that had the second-lowest team batting average may not give San Francisco the best chance of returning to the playoffs.

San Francisco recently traded starter Jonathan Sanchez to the Kansas City Royals, which may lower the chance that Lincecum is traded.

San Francisco could use this offseason to strengthen their lineup, but trading Lincecum in the process may not be the best move.

Jair Jurrjens to the Kansas City Royals

The Atlanta Braves may try to improve their outfield this offseason by trading Jair Jurrjens. 

But a team such as the Kansas City Royals may no longer be a candidate following their recent trade with the San Francisco Giants.

The Kansas City Royals traded outfielder Melky Cabrera to the San Francisco Giants for Jonathan Sanchez and a minor league pitcher.

Atlanta may have attempted to trade Jurrjens to Kansas City in a deal that could strengthen both teams. 

However, one of the players that Atlanta may have sought in return was minor league outfielder Lorenzo Cain.  Now that Cabrera has been traded, Cain may fit into Kansas City’s plans for next season and could no longer be a trade candidate.

Which means Atlanta may have to look elsewhere when attempting to trade Jurrjens for outfield help.

Grady Sizemore to the Seattle Mariners

The Seattle Mariners had the lowest team batting average in the American League last season and may attempt to add Grady Sizemore to their lineup.

However, they may also have to compete with the Boston Red Sox to sign him.

If Boston decides that Sizemore could be a fit into their lineup, Seattle may have to offer as much as $10 million to sign him.  Seattle has three players on their roster who are making over $5 million.

Sizemore batted .224 with 10 home runs and 32 RBI in 71 games last season.  However, Sizemore is two years removed from averaging 25 home runs and 78 RBI from 2005-2009.

Sizemore may fit into Seattle’s lineup, but if competition leads to a higher salary, the team may have to look elsewhere.

Heath Bell to the New York Mets

The New York Mets may attempt to sign a closer this offseason, and the team—depending on where Jose Reyes signs—may have money to spend. 

However, Heath Bell may not be the right match for the team.

Bell went 3-4 with a 2.44 ERA and 43 saves last season.  Bell may also prefer to remain on the West Coast.

New York may have a chance to sign a closer this offseason, but Bell may not be a match.