You've almost certainly heard that Albert Pujols did not reach a long-term deal with the Cardinals by this morning's deadline. That means Pujols will hit free agency after the season and, as I explain in an article at Yahoo Sports, he won't have a shortage of suitors.
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Yankees get to work on dumping Teixeira in 3..2..
Hasn’t Tex played some LF or RF in the past?
He was drafted as a third baseman I believe, but to even imply that Tex could play a different position now is absolutely ridiculous.,,
Like A-rod moving from short?
If he goes to the cubs Im done with baseball
Why? With the luck the Cubs have, he’ll decline at a massive rate and you’ll be gloating how the Cardinals didn’t pay 25-30MM/yr for 10 years.
this won’t happen. even with the cubs. he’s albert pujols. he’s immune.
he’s not going to the Cubs, don’t worry about it, they can offer him the moon, but he’s not going there, He’ll retire a Cardinal, and the Cardinals will not even be the highest bidders this off season. The entire reason he’s going into free agency is to raise the Cardinals offer, its sad, especially when he’s always said it had nothing to do with the money, but its true, he’s going to get every last cent he can out of them. He’s got no reason, or desire to leave, everybody that’s close to him has said that. He’s the team leader, he’ll always be that in St. Louis. Besides, fear not, part of the criteria has always been to play on a winning team, He’s won a world series with the Cardinals, there’s not a living human being that can make that same claim about the cubs. Plus, the other reason he’s not going to the Cubs is because even though he didn’t sign a contract extension today, doesn’t mean he hates St. Louis and all the fans all of a sudden. He knows we will never forgive him, so he’s not going to do it.
Someone’s a little scared. Pujols may not have a grudge against st. Louis or its fans, but he has every right to go out and earn every last cent he can. It’s not unthinkable to see him in a different uniform next season.
Its not “unthinkable” but its not going to happen. I think people are missing the entire point, how does anybody know what Albert Pujols is worth right now? So why should Pujols just accept the contract the Cardinals threw out there, and why should the Cardinals just accept Pujols demands? and how are they to negotiate when they are negotiating against nobody? Team leaders and franchise players don’t just leave a franchise for no reason, The Cardinals know they have the ability to sign him for a reasonable price, and Albert knows this, but he’s got to prove it by going on the market, getting his value and then coming to an agreement with St. Louis. If anybody can come up with a ligitimate reason that there’s something better out there other than money, I’d love to hear it, because there is currently no reason. The Cardinals have done everything Pujols has ever ask, and Pujols has always done his best to make the franchise, and the fans and the city proud, but as I’ve maintained, they have to come up with a fair price.
I know it’s likely against the rules, but the Mets should offer Albert the 25% stake in the team. Would be worth it.
That’d be kind of weird beings Mets are looking for somebody with money to pick up that portion of the team, not somebody they want to give money to… Allegedly he’s been seeking some sort of a piece of the Cardinals’ ownership, but probably nothing more than a single-digit stake (think Magic Johnson & Lakers’ old deal).
Hey, maybe that’s how they can pay him less! 15MM/yr with 25% ownership.
(Comment removed)
Ok this list is just silly. There is no way that anyone except perhaps the Cubs and the Angels get into this kind of a bidding war with St. Louis. 30 million for 10 years is a contract only the Yankees can really do and remain competitive and they already have their 30 million dollar guy.
What you should have done is analyze it like this using the Cubs as an example
Commitments to 2012 players
Cubs 72 million for 8 players. If you add in a raise to M Garza 5.95 million to say…7.5 and assume A Ramirez 16 million option is picked up. call it 93.0 million already on 10 players….so 120 million for 11 players is what they would start with. Assuming they don’t want to break 150 million in payroll (which they never have before) they need to get 14 ML players under contract for 30 miliion. I don’t think that team is a contender…and unless Albert does not mind losing I cannot see it. Better for the Cubs to get Fielder for 18-20 a season and use the other 10-12 million of solidifying the team.
Angels at 75 million fro 6 players (with Weaver Kendrick and Morales not included)…again hard to see them starting at 105 for 7 players and figuring out how to contend.
Or the Cubs don’t pick up Ramirez’s option and kick in another 14MM and sign Albert. Before ARam the Cubs had a revolving door at 3B for years, if you can sign Puljos, even for a redonkulous amount of money, I’m ok with the revolving door again.
Cubs will avenge the Lou Brock trade in 2012!!!!!
Ok say they do that…109.5 for 9 players under contract. Garza will want an extension worth 12-16 million for 2013 which if the Cubs want to keep him they would be wise to try to sign before he hits FA so you will lose almost all of your “savings” from Ramirez in that deal alone. Also you need to find a decent ML caliber 3B who as far as I can tell from the Cubs Farm system is not readily available for the ML minimum. and work out a deal for Soto who will be in his second arbitration season then. Unless the owners of the Cubs want a payroll in Yankee territory…and they did not get in on the Cliff Lee sweepstakes or the Carl Crawford one for a reason..they are not serious contenders if they get Albert so the question is does Albert want 30 million and a losing team?
Agreed and I’m a Cubs fan.
You’re right. There is no way the Cubs will pick up Ramirez’s option. They’ll pay the 2million buy out and be done with him. I bet next year will be either Marquez Smith, Blake Dewitt, Jeff Baker, or Vitters if he breaks out.
Someone give me a simple explanation no one is saying the Pirates. Dumping a decade’s worth of talent just to have the space for one big sign. It will happen…
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My guess is he will go to Washingon. If they get an additional 5,000 fans a game at $60 for ticket and $15 concessions, they will add $30M in revenue. He would end up paying for himself.
Having Pujols and Strasburg as main attractions for the next 10 years would fill the ball park with fans and tourists.
That very well could be or SF to fill the shoes of Barry Bonds. I think AP wants to play 1B and too many American league teams that could afford him would want him to split time at DH. Don’t think he wants that.
Congrats on working with yahoo Ben!