The Cubs need to make a big splash in free agency and I think they will choose to spend big on one player and then look for bargains. Here is the trio of free agents I think would be good fits for the Cubbies:

1. Prince Fielder - Lefty swinging 1B Prince Fielder would be a perfect fit for the Cubs. He would give the Cubs a big time power hitter at a position of need. Plus, signing Fielder hurts the division rival Brewers.

2. Cody Ross - The Cubs could use righty swinging oufielder Cody Ross in RF in 2012. Tyler Colvin had his shot in 2011 and he failed miserably.

3. Mark DeRosa - Mark DeRosa can play all over the field and he would give the Cubs another solid bat off the bench.

21-year old righty swinging shorstop Starlin Castro finished tied for 23rd in the voting for the 2011 N.L. MVP Voting with Craig Kimbrel (closer, Braves), Carlos Ruiz (C, Phillies) and Mike Stanton (RF, Marlins). Stanton played in 158 games for the Cubs last year and he was 207 of 674 (.307 avg, .773 OPS) with 91 runs scored, 10 homers, 66 RBIs and 22 stolen bases. He has now played in 283 games in his first two years with the Cubs and he is 346 of 1,137 (.304 avg, .766 OPS) with 144 runs scored, 13 homers, 107 RBIs and 32 stolen bases. Castro has a gigantic upside, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him take home this trophy sometime in the future.

26-year old righty swinging 2B Darwin Barney finished tied for 7th (with Kenley Jansen of the Dodgers) in the voting for the N.L. Rookie of the Year. Barney played in 143 games for the Cubs last year and he was 146 for 529 (.276 avg, .666 OPS) with 66 runs scored, 2 homers, 43 RBIs and 9 stolen bases. He has now played in 173 games in his first two years with the Cubs and he is 165 for 608 (.271 avg, .656 OPS) with 78 runs scored, 2 homers, 45 RBIs and 9 stolen bases. Barney will likely be penciled in as the starting 2B when spring training starts, but he will have to play well to keep the job.

32-year old starting CF Marlon Byrd will be the Cubs’ lone All-Star next week. He has played in 81 games for the Cubs this season and he is 95 of 307 (.309 avg, .838 OPS) with 43 runs scored, 9 homers, 35 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. Byrd has turned out to be a solid free agent signing for the Cubs as he has been their best player overall this season. He deserves the honor he will get next week and it will be his first appearance in the All-Star Game.

34-year old righty swinging 1B Derek Lee finished 9th in the voting for the N.L. MVP Award. Lee played in 141 games last season and he was 163 for 532 (.306 avg, .972 OPS) with 91 runs scored, 35 homers and 111 RBIs. He has now played 13 years in the majors appearing in 1,681 games in which he is 1,701 for 5,980 (.284 avg, .873 OPS) with 946 runs scored, 293 homers, 939 RBIs and 101 stolen bases. Lee continues to be the player that the Cubs depend on the most as he is a great hitter and one of the best defensive first basemen in all of baseball.