Chicago Corner: Bah! Humbug!

Call me Ebenezer Scrooge, Chicago! I declare there to be no holiday spending sprees on the north side this year. That means no Prince Fielder under the tree at Wrigley. I can hear all of Cubbie nation, right now, spitting out their hot cocoa in unison, shockingly crying out, "How can you ruin Christmas?" Hear me out for a valid explanation before all of you pelt me with your candy canes and bricks of fruitcake!

            Don't take this refusal of the Prince as a knock on his talent. He is a fearsome slugger in the prime of his career. Now with the King, Albert Pujols, off the market, the other monarch, Fielder, is the only free-agent coveted bat for general managers to drool over. Look no further to the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future to reveal in greater detail why the Cubs signing Prince Fielder is a dicey proposition.

The Ghost of Christmas Past

            Recent Cub history suggests that inking high-priced free agents translates into sure disappointment. I can rattle a whole lineup card of Cub free-agents busts. Remember Rondell White and Todd Hundley? Or recall Juan Pierre and Latroy Hawkins? The Cubs have gone through more than their fair share of expensive, yet failed free-agent signings.

            Could Prince Fielder be just one of the countless free-agent goofs made by a Cub's general manager over the years? Tough to forecast, but I would rather go another route and avoid the expensive hit or miss free-agent market. But, critics will argue, "Fielder is a can't-miss, sure he is a suspect defensive player, but he is a bona fide power hitter." Sounds quite similar to an outfielder, named Alfonso Soriano, another awkward fielder who was thought of as a can't-miss lethal offensive weapon. Granted at the time of his signing with the Cubs in 2006, he was about three years older than Fielder is now, but he too was coming off a sparkling contract year.

The Ghost of Christmas Future

             In the present, Prince Fielder might be a top ten player in the league. However, there a few subtle flaws indicating that his future, which potentially takes place in Chicago, could be a disaster. Fielder is known to have a volatile temper, as he has had a few public scuffles in his career with both his teammates and opponents. His anger management issues have not been a significant problem for him, but it could be, in a hostile media environment like Chicago. Milton Bradley anyone? His lackluster glove at first base would potentially pose a problem on the North Side as well. Cubs have been spoiled defensively at first base for years with the presence of outstanding defenders such as Derek Lee and Carlos Peña. By adding Fielder, a poor defensive team would become even worse.

The Ghost of Christmas Present

            What matters most to the Cubs front office is the future, but in order to secure a successful future, they must start rebuilding now and address the team's numerous and gaping holes. By paying a king's ransom for the Prince, the Cubs are limiting their options to improve other areas of the roster. The Cubs now have a tighter budget and are trying to cut payroll. Going after Fielder leaves the Cubs with hardly any other funds to shore up their other needs, such as their bullpen and bench players. Their farm system is also in shambles, and after slowly getting money off of the payroll, they now want to add a massive salary? Believe it, the ghost of Christmas present tells of a lousy team in need of much more than a slugger.

Best Gift

I truly have mixed emotions about how the Cubs should approach this off-season. My heart says, "Bid for Prince Fielder and do not stop until you win him!" Yet, my brain says, "Hold off on Fielder, he is too much money!" They are obviously in rebuilding mode and are several years away from competing for a championship. Therefore, the Cubs should simply resign a cheaper and somewhat productive Carlos Peña. They need to take their time in the rebuilding process, and rework the farm system. Epstein needs to revert back to his days of making savvy personal moves, with signing bargain free agents and making impactful trades, which he already has with the addition of outfielder David DeJesus and the trade for third baseman Ian Stewart. Sorry to sour your eggnog, but besides Pujols fleeing the division rival St. Louis Cardinals, not signing Prince Fielder would be the best Christmas gift a Cub fan could receive this year.

Merry Christmas!