Colletti: Free agents out of reach

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 6 (UPI) -- The general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers said planned payroll cuts for 2012 make signing highly paid free agents unfeasible for the team.

Ned Colletti said the team's current financial difficulties and the uncertainty of its future ownership make it unlikely that he'd be able to sign free agents such as Prince Fielder, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

"Can we sign Prince for $3 million this year and $30 million the next year?" Colletti asked rhetorically.

"I know what my payroll is," Colletti said. "I don't believe anybody of that stature would fit into it."

However, Colletti said he is not giving up on the season.

"I think, this year, because of what lies ahead ownership-wise, it will perhaps be built in two stages," Colletti said. "You try to put together a club that can compete and put you in the race and, when you get to July, you may have more financial flexibility to do something else."