MLB Free Agents 2012: Prince Fielder and Stars That Benefit from Pujols Deal

The 2012 free agency pool is slimming down now that the big fish in the pond Albert Pujols has been signed. It’s a matter of time before all the other pieces fall into place.

There is no doubt that other deals will start to follow now that the numbers have been crunched on the Pujols to Los Angeles Angels deal. The players that were waiting for the losers of the Pujols sweepstakes are desperate now.

All of the following players were waiting for the dust to settle before watching the bids start to roll in and their time has finally arrived.

Prince Fielder—With the No. 1 free agent Albert Pujols off the market, the best player left on the table is another first baseman in Prince Fielder.

All the teams that were going hard after Pujols will turn their attention and money towards Fielder. Teams like the Cardinals and the now needy Brewers may look to bring the star in at a less hefty price.

There is no doubt that Fielder will use the Pujols deal as a possible template, but there is no way he gets the years or the money that Albert got.

Jimmy Rollins—There were several teams vying for the services of Albert Pujols, which means there is a lot of money now unspent across major league baseball.

Not only will the Cardinals try their hand at paying the veteran, every team in the league that is looking for a player that is versatile, adds pop to the lineup and leadership to the team will be knocking on Rollins door.

It also doesn’t hurt when fellow free agent shortstop Jose Reyes signed a six year deal worth $106 million. That’s pretty good leverage.

Carlos Pena—A player that hasn’t been mentioned much in all the Pujols talk is first baseman Carlos Pena. While other big names swirl, there are American league teams that are seriously considering adding Pena as a fielder or a designated hitter.

Pena won’t get the kind of money that Pujols or Fielder gets, but there were teams that wagered that they could have landed one of those two stars.

The people that come up empty will have no choice but to over pay Pena. You can bet that he will be vastly overpaid for next year’s poor batting average numbers.

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