Polaroid
I need a tittle
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They just needed a 1 year stopgap before they sign Pujols or Fielder to a long-term deal. I'd prefer Fielder for $200 million over Pujols for $300 million, Fielder will probably outperform Pujols over the course of their next contracts.
Cubs weren't going to do anything this year anyways, especially after all the injuries. Be lucky to get to .500 by the end of the year.
No way will either player get that type of money. For starters, the three biggest spending markets (NYY, PHI and BOS) have all got long term deals to cover the 1B position for years to come - when you take those three out of the potential market, there is little to no chance of any bidding war. The fact that the two are on the market at the same time lessens what they would get otherwise. Fielder is the archetypal slugger who posts an awesome wOBA but who is a big liability in defense and running the bases, much like Ryan Howard. Let's also note that Howard signed one of the bizarre deals I've ever seen which ties him to the Phillies for years to come even though his decline phase appeared to start in 2010. No team is going to take a $200 million risk on Fielder when the price of a good DH this season was $2 million (see Manny).
Pujols is simply too old too warrant a $300 million signing (although he is more likely to get that number than Fielder is to get $200 million). Over the past decade, he has been the best player in baseball and no-one comes close to him. If you base value on wins above replacement (which you should) then for any period from his debut in 2001 (2001-2011, 2002-2011, 2003-2011 right up to 2009-2011) he has amassed more WAR than any player in each of those nine time periods. This year he is performing well above average but he isn't in the top 30 batters over the course of the season. Having by far the worst season in your career is really bad when you're expecting a long term and high money deal.
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