11:38am: Heyman now reports that there’s not “much traction” on a potential Cardinals-Pujols reunion.
10:01am: Legendary slugger Albert Pujols became a free agent Thursday, one week after the Angels designated him for assignment, and the first baseman is now garnering interest from a few teams. Three to four clubs are in on Pujols, Robert Murray of FanSided reports. St. Louis is part of that group, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. Katie Woo of The Athletic tweeted Friday that the team has “had limited internal conversations” about a possible deal for Pujols. However, Woo added that the Cardinals had yet to contact Pujols’ camp.
While Woo suggests the Cardinals are unlikely to add Pujols, doing so would make for a compelling story. Pujols, of course, spent the first 11 seasons of his career (2001-11) in St. Louis, where he became a franchise icon and helped the team to a pair of World Series championships. On an individual level, Pujols earned nine All-Star nods, won three National League Most Valuable Player Awards and the NL Rookie of the Year, among many other accolades.
Pujols’ fruitful run with the Cardinals ended heading into the 2012 campaign, when he inked a 10-year, $254MM contract with the Angels. It was the second-largest deal in baseball history at the time, though the Angels didn’t get enough bang for their buck after taking the risk. Pujols’ production declined significantly with the Halos, and dating back to 2017, he ranks second to last among 2,278 qualified position players in fWAR (minus-3.3). During that 1,934-plate appearance span, the 41-year-old has also notched a meager 84 wRC+, which is a far cry from his exemplary lifetime mark (142).
In terms of bottom-line production, this season has been more of the same for Pujols, owner of a .198/.250/.372 line (74 wRC+) with five home runs in 92 trips to the plate. But Pujols has at least shown some encouraging signs, including a typically low strikeout rate (14.1 percent) and his highest average exit velocity since 2016 (90.5 mph). Pujols is also sporting a career-worst .176 batting average on balls in play, though that’s not necessarily shocking for someone devoid of speed. Still, if that number increases and his .270 weighted on-base average moves closer to his .347 expected wOBA, Pujols could perhaps serve as a useful bat/veteran leader for a club willing to take a chance on someone with 667 home runs on his resume.
Look I spent my 20s watching Albert play everyday. Best player I will ever see with my own eyes. Not the most physically talented but he was smart and wanted it more.
But what did he actually want? I think he wanted money and to live in California. I don’t blame him. But you do that you ruin the happy ending. This isn’t 1964. These guys get paid stupid amounts of money to the point I don’t want to root for them anymore.
Bonds
Cheater
Steroids saved baseball
They ruined baseball.
Baseball was dead in the water. Whether we like it or not steroids saved baseball. We can try and say steroids ruined baseball but we all know that isn’t the case.
Steroids has ruined baseball, by making them illegal, let them roid up. I like watching teams hit tape measure bombs
Cocaine saved baseball in the 70’s and 80’s where over 50% of the players were on it.
Cocaine really hurt a lot of careers. It certainly seems to have had an adverse effect on baseball talent.
If you’re of the opinion that he effed up by taking that deal, I think he got punished (for lack of a better word) for it. He played out his career in near-anonymity, never sniffing another title, barely sniffing the playoffs, and ran out the string in front of a fan base that will always remember him for what he DIDN’T do, before being DFA’d.
I don’t know what would have happened if he stayed in STL. Maybe the Cards would’ve won the 2013 WS. Maybe he would’ve sunk the franchise. But I do know that he would have a statue next to Musial and every record he broke and milestone he reached would have been a massive celebration.
I’m not angry at him. I just wish things could have been different.
I agree for the most part pun. And I wouldn’t call it anger. I just don’t want to see him again that’s all. There is no happy ending here. He got what he asked for.
I think Albert believed he would be worth every cent of that contract – even worth more than that. I think that more than anything is what likely drove him to sign with LAA over STL. Or maybe it was just the 34 million dollars.
And the truth is, to the LAA business – he was worth it. Arte Moreno made plenty of money on the Pujols deal, and so did Albert. Like you said, he got what he asked for – money.
Albert still believes he can play 1B every day. But, apparently believes in revenge or something if he’s moving crosstown. mlbtraderumors.com/2021/05/cardinals-others-intere…
STL was so smart not to pay him. His contract was a franchise killer. The sheer loss of burning all those amazing seasons Trout had was a tragedy and Pujols and his huge contract was a major obstacle. Worse signing in MLB history by LAA.
If I remember correctly, the Cardinals offered Albert over $200 million. Rather than being “smart not to pay him,” the club was lucky he found a better offer. The same would be true for the Cardinals a few years later when they offered Jason Heyward more than $200 million and he elected to sign for less with the Cubs. That’s twice in a half decade that the Cardinals escaped their own folly, saving nearly half a billion on two players who did not produce at the expected level for anywhere near the length of their contracts.
realsox -They couldve gave him the same deal as the Angels but didnt despite him being a franchise icon. That is being smart. Also where did you see the Cards offered Heyward 200 million?
I agree that Arte Moreno made a horrible signing with Albert. It is easy to look back 10 years later and say the Cards dodged a bullet, but remember that the Cardinals offered Pujols a huge contract which he easily could have accepted. The same goes for Heyward. It wasn’t any particular skill by the Cards front office that avoided those contracts as Pujols and Heyward could have easily chosen the Cardinals’ offer
Qbert: Mark Gonzalez of the Chicago Tribune, for example, reported on Dec. 15, 2015 that Heyward signed an 8-year contract for $184 million even though the Cardinals offered him “more.” My recollection is that the St. Louis offer was for $200 million.
You can add David Price and Stanton to that list. Cards were outbid late on both.
Much better off now with Goldy and 28
It was a great business move. He signed Pujols then signed a 3 billion dollar TV deal. He did the same thing with the Trout signing.
I wrote many times that the Angels were going to extend Trout then sign a great Stadium deal.
Arte may not understand baseball but he understands marketing
Don’t forget they missed on David Price and the failed trade for Stanton. Yet they can give away outfielders to anyone who calls. They have been extremely fortunate dodging massively bad contracts.
Not even close, both the Josh Hamilton signings and Vernon Wells signings were much worse. Unfortunately for Pujols he never was the same after suffering from Plantar Fascitis.
^this
How did signing Trout enable the city of Anaheim to sell the the stadium to Arte? Some city council demanded Mike Trout in Anaheim or they wouldn’t budge huh?
The rise of shifts on D also hurt him.
Gary Matthews.
Actually, it was 8/$198. That would have been some overpay, but not nearly as much, and he’d be off the books now.
No more horrible, and maybe less horrible, than the Tigers with Miggy Cabrera, who now officially has the worst contract in baseball.
Arguably, Miggy Cabrera’s contract was worse. It clearly is currently the worst on the books.
And, don’t look, but Strasburg is coming up in the outside lane.
I think it was time to move on from him in STL.
You are correct,a contract that size would have crippled the franchise.
He needs to go somewhere and just DH and relax.
Funny because if this was in spring training,he would have been a Yankee,spotted 1B with Voit out.
He’s no longer a fit in the NL and half the AL clubs have entrenched DH’s.
He would do wonders for Baltimore,he could rake in that park,then pick his suitor at the trade deadline.
Who wants a DH who can’t hit? Why are people pretending as if he can still hit?
Totally agree! And im not feeling sorry for him now. He traded a legacy for the money. Got what he wanted. Too bad though I enjoyed watching him play in STL
He’d be out of Baseball years ago if he took the Cardinals offer.
Yeah, maybe. I don’t think the Angels did anything wrong here, to be clear.
@Halo.. didn’t the Cards also offer 10 years, just less money?
That is correct.
I think at one point it was rumored they offered five years, $150 million. Which is maybe what Halo is referring to.
Later they offered something like 10 years, 220 million. But I’m not sure anyone outside of the Pujols camp knows all of those details.
They never planned on signing him. They trailed substantially in every part of the negotiation process. Great baseball and PR move by the Cardinals.
there is carom billiards for you since you cannot root for players in major sports!
I hear you, but look at it this way. Guys have 10-15 years to make all the money they will ever make. Owners, agents and whole bunch of hanger-ons skim so much out of the game that (to me) it seems wrong to blame players for cashing in. Still, I hear what you say and as a fan, can’t blame you for feeling that way.
Hey Guys. Me and a bunch of other commenters from MLBTR started a 20-team fantasy league. 1 of the owners has left but his team is still pretty good. He is 3-2 and in line to make the playoffs in 6th place. He has Gerrit Cole and Tyler Glasnow. Is anyone willing to take over the team? 16 teams make the playoffs in this league so you would be virtually certain to make the playoffs.. This is a good big league only for MLBTR commenters.
16 teams? Do your playoffs start in July?
No. They are 1 week matchups instead of 2 weeks. The playoffs last the same amount of time. It’s a really good league with a bunch of active owners all of whom I met on this website. You wanna join?
Agree. I’m losing interest in baseball because of the money and the teams that spend it
Hey Guys. Me and a bunch of other commenters from MLBTR started a 20-team fantasy league. 1 of the owners has left but his team is still pretty good. He is 3-2 and in line to make the playoffs in 6th place. He has Gerrit Cole and Tyler Glasnow. Is anyone willing to take over the team? 16 teams make the playoffs in this league so you would be virtually certain to make the playoffs. This is a good big league only for MLBTR commenters. email my gmail account if and the team is yours. my gmail address is theatlantabravesguy
I have no problem with a player wanting to get paid.
That’s said Pujols was unrealistic in his negotiations with STL, 10/300 was never a possibility for a 31 yr old (BTW Pujols isnt 41 more like 44 or 45).
My problem is that Pujols spent previous years saying he wanted to stay in STL, then when he reaches deal to leave, he & DD go on offensive against team & city, claiming disrespect, while sitting on 250 million in contracts at a time when many are just recovering from recession.
I am all for the players getting max dollars out of an owner, we all know DeWitt is a disciplined owner, he sets a price for a player and doesnt let emotions control the situation. Right or wrong thats how he operates, his track record is best in baseball last 25 years. Pujols knew this yet cried fowl..
So Pujols can stay gone, Pujols can go into HOF with Angels on his hat.. Pujols made his bed, now he has to lay in it..
No
Sorry to see he dropped his career fWar to below 100 by playing this year.
That plantar fasciitis injury in 2012ish really started the downfall I think. He was never incredibly mobile but before that he was competent running the bases (as a slugging first baseman) and able to be credible playing first base.
Foot problem dates back to 2002.
If Pujols takes a part time job with the Cardinals after turning down a bigger part time job with the Angels, he’s a jerk.
I hope Pujols finds a job where he can get the ABs he’s looking for, but he chose this. The Angels didn’t want to cut him, they just wanted to reduce his role.
Exactly. Maybe Seattle or KC maybe makes some sense. But if he does somewhere to be a bench player then he’s a hypocrite who put the Angels in a bad position to the national media. The local fans were beyond happy to see him go.
Well, the Angels are bad, though. If he takes a bench role on a contender so he can chase one last ring, is that being a hypocrite?
Seattle makes no sense. This is a year where they give any and all at-bats to people under the age of 107 years old to see if they stick, and have a future with the upcoming Mariners teams that should be competitive
Sure Seattle makes perfect sense. You could send Evan White to minors with his .144BA, .202 OPS, .237 SLG and .438 OPS. Then you could move Ty France to 1B, Pujols to DH.
I disagree. Between France, Marmolejos, Haniger, Seager, etc. there’s ample at bats to be had by people who need to rotate either between 1B or DH. There’s no fit for Pujols here, especially considering Evan White will come back at some point. He has a future here (in theory), Pujols doesn’t.
Oh who knows what really happened bud. This is a good thing for your team thats all you should be concerned about really. If the team was worried about looking stupid it’s far too late for that.
Its the same pride that drove Pujols out of STL, drove him out of LA.
2011 Pujols demanded 10/300 from STL, and when they didnt give him that, his pride said to leave, Arte took advantage of this and gave him ballpark what he wanted, damn the legacy & history.
Actually Teufel he never left LA. Lol
And who, other than the Cardinals, make up the 3-4 teams? The Cardinals can’t afford to waste a second roster spot on a washed up player, and at least Carp can, kinda sorta, play in the field.
CLE had to be one of them for 2 reasons: They’ve gotten the worst offensive production from that position in the majors so far this year, and they’d only have to pay him the prorated league minimum.
This would be an especially classic Indians move in like 2011-2012 or so, because those teams were terrible and it seemed like they always wanted to try catching lighting in a bottle with has-beens (Johnny Damon, Orlando Cabrera, etc.) or never-will-be’s (too many to name). But I could still see them doing it now too. When he was cut loose, the Indians being a fit was actually my first thought.
That would just require two things: the Indians to cut bait with Bauers (unlikely), and the Indians to decide that a victory lap with whatever Pujols has left is better than giving at bats down the stretch to a young guy like Bradley, Nolan Jones, or Owen Miller (or to play Naylor at first and give at bats to a guy like Daniel Johnson). Given Tito’s apparent reluctance to give young guys at bats, that’s at least possible.
Perhaps they are checking in but I’m not so sure the Indians would be seriously interested. Since Franmil is firmly planted at DH.. I cannot see the Indians trotting out Pujols as their starter at first or carrying two players on their roster that can only play first base.
The Cardinals never put a competitive offer on the table. It’s amazing how people always side with the greedy owners. It’s always the players being money hungry but never the owners in the eyes of the fans. Albert was justified leaving STL. He had won multiple rings and did everything he could’ve. He wasn’t even the highest paid player on the team when he left.
He chose money over competitiveness and legacy. I think that’s a legitimate choice, but it is the choice he made.
They put a competitive offer on the table it just wasn’t the one that offered the most money. But yes it was certainly competitive.
He was underpaid his entire time as a Cardinal and because of that I believe he felt like he had to take every last dollar on his next contract to make up for that. And I believe Diedre wanted to live in California. It’s nobodies fault really. I just don’t like all the talk about him coming back as if that makes any kind of sense.
It makes no sense if he wants to play the rest of the season, especially if Carp stays on the roster. His return to STL in 2019 was really cool, though, and I think a farewell game or series in a Cards uniform would be great. I can’t see it happening though if he’s not ready to retire and an AL team gives him a shot.
I agree with all of that. But I still want him to come back whether it makes sense or not.
5/180 with options for 7/210 isnt competitive? NVM that Cali tax rate is 13% over 5% for Missouri, basically in the end it was 30 million.
Pujols wasnt highest paid because the team took a chance on a player and gave him 120 million before arbitration, and Matt Holliday had just signed FA deal year before..
I have offered the opinion the Orioles should look into signing Pujols
The Orioles have issues with getting the ducks on the pond home
Pujols swing is fine, his power is fine, his mobility and speed are meh, but I still think his swing is all good and could help and that is what the Orioles need.
His mobility is almost nonexistent and speed is like the Tortoise. Albert works hard and is a tremendous human being, but he is delusional when it comes to his abilities now. His numbers don’t lie, he is a way below replacement level hitter and a liability in the field. If a club decides to sign him you can almost count on him being released again before the season is over. It is a shame to see the great players hang on too long.
I saw an interview where he believed he’d hit 300 if the shift was gone. He said he trained his whole life to hit the ball up the middle and hes not going to change his approach
When I played as a kid we we’re taught to hit the ball the other way on occasion….I don’t understand why a large majority of these professionals don’t have that ability. I’m 50 years old and can still go to a batting cage and rope line drives the other way. I know that’s not even close to major league pitching, but I’m not even close to being a 25 year old MLB superstar either.
The Angels told Pujols he was going to be a bench player, and he flipped out. It seems he was released by mutual agreement.
It is hard to imagine any team giving him an everyday job. Perhaps over the last week Pujols calmed down and realizes that if he wants to continue playing, it will be on the bench.
I remember Jason Giambi hanging on for several years as a bench guy until age 43. I don’t think Pujols now is as good as Giambi was in his final years.
Giambi had ” help”
Even in his final years? 2011-2014?
If he didnt have help, he would have never made it to 2011-2014
Tom1968 –
A massive percentage of the league had the same “help” Giambi had, most likely including many of your favorite players and those you hold in high esteem. Don’t fool yourself into thinking he was some sort of outlier. He was just one of the unlucky ones who got caught
As I mentioned in a different post, Pujols not wanting to sit the bench for a losing Angels team doesn’t necessarily mean he is unwilling to accept a bench role anywhere.
This.
Just sign a one day contract and retire as a Cardinal
I could see it happening. But the Cardinals are going to make the playoffs. His ego would be in for a big hit to play that last game and then go retire while his former team chases a championship. I don’t think he could do it.
If he doesn’t care about money or winning then he’s an ideal fit for the Pirates. Lol
Winning, definitely, he’s not getting that with the Pirates. But the $$$? He’s getting paid anyway by the Angels. Anyone who signs him pays only the prorated MLB minimum. I’m sure you knew that but maybe others don’t.
Nah, the Pirates already have enough pooholes.
Nice one… another name for butt-pirate is now Pirate Pooholes! LOL!
Seriously though, how old is he???
44-45
I always heard the Cardinals always thought he was 4-6 older or more than what he says he is. He now looks like a 50 year old man playing.
He hasn’t had an OPS+ above 80 in a few years… any team that signs him thinking they’ll improve their first base situation is foolish. The only reason he didn’t retire years ago is that ridiculous contract.
It’s curious that writers here feel Pujols in any way can be useful for a National League team. And to use small sample wOBA as justification. Not a complaint. I just find it odd.
This story seems manufactured. The Cardinals claiming to have had “limited internal discussions” sounds more like them saying they aren’t interested. I think the media took it and ran and spun it as interest. It’s like Dumb and Dumber “so you’re saying there’s a chance”. However, i am still in favor of Albert coming back.
I doubt any contenders, besides the Cardinals… hopefully not the Cardinals, would want him in the lineup or on the bench. Marketing and ticket sales are the only reasons someone would give him ABs.
Considering he got less money in that deal, after CA taxes, it was a bad move made on emotions…or Dierdre in his ear.
The best thing he did for the Angels was mentor Mike Trout…it just cost them $254M.
Look, I’m a huge Pujols fan. He’s my second favorite player. I hope the Cardinals sign him the last day of the season and let him retire a Cardinal. His Cooperstown plaque will have the STL on his hat. He’ll still have a statue outside Busch Stadium. Unfortunately, he won’t get HR #700 either. He’ll be in the HOF and wear a red jacket in the Cardinals HOF.
Brief internal conversation: “He sucks now.”
Had Albert been honest about his age there’s no way he lands a 10 year deal. Now he refuses to take a bench role and mentor Marsh.
In fairness he’s getting paid a lot more this way.
I think, since they are going no where anytime soon, the Tigers should sign him. Alternate him at DH and 1st base with Miggy. Might put a few more butts in the seats, and they have nothing to lose. Just an idea.
Another aging .180 hitter? I don’t think so. If I’m going to alternate a .180 hitter with Miggy at 1B, I’ll stay with Jonathon Schoop who is almost another decade farther from Social Security than Miggy and Pujols.
“Cardinals, Others Interested In Albert Pujols.” Athletically or romantically?
The Cardinals could make it work…only because Edman can play almost anywhere…all the cardinals would have to do is send Sosa back to the minors…he doesn’t plays much anyway…Edman would just play where they needed him…Pujols would be the DH when needed
They could sign him as a lefthanded reliever. He’d be at least as effective as Miller or Webb.
Pujols should give some of the money back for lying about his age.
The Cardinals were saved from a monumental blunder when Moreno swooped in with the ridiculous offer. Albert was already in a decline mode when he became a free agent. How any G M could offer someone his age (probably older) more than 5 or 6 years is beyond me. I guess the system can be blamed. He was underpaid for the first 10 years, but why would you overpay after that – you’d be basically paying for what he did rather than what he’s going to do.
If I recall, at the time the Angels were rebranding as the LA Angels and they wanted a way to connect to the Los Angeles market. There was a TV deal being negotiated around that time also. Moreno believed that a Spanish speaking face of the franchise would be an invaluable marketing tool on both fronts. I remember reading at the time that Pujols’ value as an ambassador was expected to be greater than his value as a player. I don’t know if that all worked out for the Angels or not, but that partly explains the motivation for the contract.
This!
And I am surprised no one else has mentioned this. And yes, Pujols” value as an ambassador was higher than his value as a player. I live in So. Cal and at that time the fight was over which team would represent LA. The Dodgers at that time were garbage, fans didn’t want to go to games because it was unsafe and the Angels were trying to rebrand themselves. Which worked out well for the Angels as ticket prices soar and attendance soared.
An under-appreciated downside for players with contracts with lengths that exceed their usefulness as full time players is that they don’t get to slide gracefully into part time status where their defects can be hidden more and their remaining talents used better. Plenty of older players have slotted into new teams to fill roles and be good in the clubhouse, and add a bit of productivity. As long as their contracts are modest and their expectations reasonable, there’s no pressure to play them all the time. Albert just became an albatross, but if his contract had been 7 and not ten years, the last three might have been better in a secondary role, and without the controversy
Pujols turned his back on the Cardinals when he excepted the angels offer he wanted out of St. Louis now he’s all broke down and nowhere to go.
I’m sure the Cardinals would welcome a Pujols reunion, but purely ceremonial. Albert doesn’t have an interest in that…yet.
Rockies.
Cautionary tale for anyone inking these guys to massive contracts. I guess it really depends on what the org that signs the player expects. If they sign a player to a massive 10 year hundreds of millions of dollars knowing it is only for a handful of good seasons, then that is on them. However, in doing such deals it more often than naught impairs the same team from building a good team around that player.
In Pujols case, there was pretty much a team in St Louis that could have still made runs for Championships.. Angels could not say the same. If the deal was solely for money, then that is what Pujols got, However,I think it does a massive dis-service to the game as a whole when they guys get these guaranteed deals only to may a couple of good seasons and then be ok with being mediocre as they got theirs…
All I know is he’s getting less at bats as an unsigned FA than a bench role with LAA. Bad optics on his part.
His speed and glove work make him a great fit for the yankees. He could replace Hicks in CF.
Paul Heyman needs to stick to Roman Reigns!
If Pujols is willing to take on a Jason Giambiesque role with the Rockies – I could see Colorado sign him as a mentor to their young guys and a big bat off the bench. Giambi still hit double digit homeruns in a small sample size each year with Colorado, and I could see Pujols providing something similar at the same age in Denver.
Would love it if he just moved down the 5 to San Diego. Desperate need for a veteran bat, spot starter at first/ph. Still it wouldn’t be for what he’d contribute on the field as much as off. He’d be a defacto batting coach/mentor that the Pads need as Manny is shouldering the load, leadership wise on a very young team. Pujols would be an excellent fit. Trout raved about Pujols leadership and intangeables. Tatis could benefit similarily.
Him and bill Cosby should both attempt a come back. Hey hey hey
He was never going to get an offer from StL. Stupid to presume that by any beat writer. Cards almost pasted on Molina and wainwright. He’s got no chance
What you all have to remember. Baseball is a union. Albert had to set the market for all other players that year and after that. I am sure he would loved to stay, but he had to do what he did for the good of all players after him, as others did before him. We would not have the team we do today if he would have stayed. It’s a business. That said I would love to kick Carpenter down and sign Albert. I believe he can DH and relieve Goldy. Just the crowd vive would spark Albert and the team. Plus I would no longer have to watch Carpenter and his terrible approach at the plate!
Bottom line…for the minimum salary, the Cardinals could pick up a club house leader, a backup first basemen, a designator hitter and a valuable pinch hitter – who better to be at the plate, pressure and in the playoffs. A risk worth taking.
There are plenty of people I’d rather have at the plate in the playoffs than a washed up ver with an OPS+ of 74. He USED to be that guy but he’s not anymore.
He hasn’t been an above average hitter since 2016, why would you want him to DH, unless you’re trying to sabotage the Cardinals.
REALLY? Carp can play first, third and even OF in a pinch. DH is only a few interleague games a year thank doorknob. Please remove that Redbird as your icon!
What about the Yankees? Ford isn’t getting it done. Send him down.
I’d be surprised if there was legitimate “interest” from a few teams. I’m assuming teams are investigating the possibility of signing him to a minor league contract or league minimum. It’s like Pujols was made to quote Moneyball.
“In the dog days in July, August, we’re lucky if he’s gonna hit his weight.
Billy, his legs are gone, and he’s a defensive liability.
I question whether the bat speed’s there.”
Add in… and he can’t get on base.
The only way he signs with the Cardinals is for a one day retirement send off. I doubt he finds any offers to his liking.
NOBODY will sign him. His legit probably 47-48. Bat is slow. Can’t run. Can’t field. He was done 2 years ago. I get love of the game, so go coach dude.
I would be VERY curious to find out which 3-4 teams think that Pujols could help them in any way and would make for a worthwhile signing. Methinks this is a case of a reporter trying to make a name for himself by throwing out some BS “clickbait”, but maybe I’m wrong. If Pujols was released 3 years ago, when he was 44 (lol), I don’t think anyone would have signed him then!
It WAS Fansided. Ranks right up with Jon Heyman in rumor-mongering. Probably very untrue, since Albert is going to a team where he’ll play no more than he would have with the Angels.
There is “no traction” in talks with St.Louis because there is nowhere for Pujols to play. Unless he’s willing to go to AAA until the Rosters expand the Cardinals can’t stash Pujols on the bench and he’s certainly not going to play over Paul Goldschmidt. Pujols offers nothing to an NL team except maybe short term while a teams First Baseman recovers from injury (think Rockies with Cron or Diamondbacks with Walker). The Brewers could be the one lone NL exception as they have gotten nothing out of Hiura/Vogelbach and Hiura’s already been sent down.
The Mariners could role the dice and bring in Albert to DH and let Ty France play 2B regularly. The Rays cut Tsutsugo and don’t really have a regular DH. Toronto is probably in on Pujols because Toronto is always in on everyone it seems
All these teams would do just as well to bring up some random minor league player, as evidenced by Pujols’ cumulative -2.1 WAR over the last 5 years, to go along with and OPS+ that topped out at 91. Maybe Pujols’ name would sell a few tickets though….
Wow….now I’m hearing he’s signing with the Dodgers? Of all teams, they’d probably be the last one I would have guessed! Guess I really don’t know shi* LOL
A. COVID still restricts in-person attendance.
B. It’s the Dodgers. They don’t need help selling tickets.
Gotta laugh at MLBTR for actually biting on another ridiculous Jon Heyman rumor. Pujols was never coming back to St. Louis except for a 1 day retirement deal.
I’m a. Cub fan but I blame are union for not letting the NL not having a DH he could play Two more years