Pic of the Week

Prince Fielder limbers up with his MVP award:
Anybody want to throw some batting practice?

Prince Fielder was named the MVP of the All-star Game on the basis that

1) He hit a three-run homer off C.J. Wilson and

2) Justin Timberlake wasn't eligible.

Fielder is headed into free agency this winter, and since he has Scott Boras as his agent, the assumption is that he's not long for Milwaukee. Boras clients typically don't stick around.

But still ... It doesn't look like a real seller's market for first baseman/DH types. The biggest spenders, the Yankees and Red Sox, already have heavy investments in Mark Teixiera and Adrian Gonzalez, respectively, at first base, and DH is already spoken for with both those clubs as well.

Then there's Albert Pujols, who is also going on the market this offseason.

Say you're a general manager who has the leeway to make a really big investment on a first baseman. To whom do you want to commit years and dollars: Pujols, who is 31 and having the worst statistical season of his brilliant career, or Fielder, who at 27 is in the prime of his career but is never going to be in prime condition?

My basic belief is that you break the bank for a guy clearly on a Hall of Fame path, but not for a lesser player. My gut reaction is that Fielder is the latter. My gut reaction may well be wrong.