Pujols signs with Angels pg 151

[squally1313]

Yeah I think these next 12 hours are huge. As long as we can avoid a contract getting figured out, or something like a deadline extension, I think the chances of him leaving are really pretty good.

 

You have to wonder if La Russa's comments could really come back to hurt the Cardinals. He basically came out and said the only reason the contract isn't done is because he is asking for too much money. Now, obviously he blamed it on the union. But if it's Pujols alone who is holding out for what he thinks he deserves, suddenly he looks at La Russa's comments and thinks that he (Pujols) is being called selfish, or too greedy, or whatever. If there's no contract by tomorrow, you got a whole season of them sharing the dugout, which, given La Russa's history (control freak, the whole Rasmus situation, etc)....I can see it not playing out well.

 

Add in some of the Cardinals fans who believe it's the world's greatest honor to wear the Cardinal uniform turning on him for being greedy (anyone see that Dispatch article talking about how he would be making more money than anyone else in St. Louis?), and it could be a really interesting season.

[Sammy Sofa]

I'm not keen on the players union rules and what not. Can someone tell me how the players union benefits from Albert Pujols signing a huge contract? Do they get a percentage cut form his yearly salary or something?

 

As LaRussa said, they'll use it as a precedent to decide future salary demands. They have a vested interest in making sure that the best player in the world gets paid like it, basically

 

This contract shouldn't determine anything with future contracts, because there isn't a single player in baseball on Pujols' level. No one can use what he gets as a bargaining chip because no one is better than he is. The Werth contract? Sure, no question. Pujols? Really?

 

No, but it can be used as a bargaining chip by teams towards lesser players if he takes a significant hometown discount.

[SouthSideRyan]

I'm not keen on the players union rules and what not. Can someone tell me how the players union benefits from Albert Pujols signing a huge contract? Do they get a percentage cut form his yearly salary or something?

 

As LaRussa said, they'll use it as a precedent to decide future salary demands. They have a vested interest in making sure that the best player in the world gets paid like it, basically

 

This contract shouldn't determine anything with future contracts, because there isn't a single player in baseball on Pujols' level. No one can use what he gets as a bargaining chip because no one is better than he is. The Werth contract? Sure, no question. Pujols? Really?

 

Unfortunate for the players union that Pujols is immortal and will play forever at this level.

[cardslesson101]

I'm feeling very impatient right now. Albert delayed his ST arrival until Thursday, FWIW.

[bleedingblue]

No one posted this?

 

According to Heyman yesterday,

 

]one competing baseball exec told me he believes #cubs will offer pujols the a-rod deal ($10 mil, $27.5 mil/yr).

 

[nolanwood]

one competing baseball exec told me he believes #cubs will offer pujols the a-rod deal ($10 mil, $27.5 mil/yr).

 

 

I really hope someone from the Cubs organization is leaking rumors like this - it's a brilliant move (regardless of whether they ultimately make him an offer).

[nolanwood]

No deal.

 

Cardinals: No deal reached with Pujols, but team hopes he'll finish career here

 

Read more: http://www.bnd.com/2011/02/15/1592786/la-russa-players-union-pushing.html#ixzz1E99Z2Qxs

[OleMissCub]

so the Cardinals sources are saying that the years aren't a problem but the money is....

 

I haven't read through this thread, but I'm sure the point has probably been made at length, but if you are the Cardinals you pay the dude whatever the hell he wants (within reason). The dude is a freaking 21st century clone of Gehrig.

[XZero771679666304]

The presser the Cards held didn't paint a rosy picture. I'd put their odds of re-signing Pujols at 50/50.

[JWCUB]

•Rival executives expect the Cubs to pursue Pujols, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com. One exec says “They'll give him the A-Rod deal'' and another guesses "They'll give him $33MM or $34MM for seven years.''

•Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears from a source that St. Louis' offer would have given Pujols about the tenth-highest annual salary in the game, which translates to about $19-21MM (Twitter links). The exact length of the offer is unknown.

 

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

[Sammy Sofa]

•Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears from a source that St. Louis' offer would have given Pujols about the tenth-highest annual salary in the game, which translates to about $19-21MM (Twitter links). The exact length of the offer is unknown.

 

Whaaaaaaat? THAT'S what they're offering him when he and his agent are dropping numbers like $30 million per?

[XZero771679666304]

Offering Albert 19-21 million (about where 10th place would put him) is a slap in the face. The word that I have heard is that it is the AAV that Albert didn't like, not the years.

 

If that's the case, I offer Albert 6/180 and see what happens.

[XZero771679666304]

•Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears from a source that St. Louis' offer would have given Pujols about the tenth-highest annual salary in the game, which translates to about $19-21MM (Twitter links). The exact length of the offer is unknown.

 

Whaaaaaaat? THAT'S what they're offering him when he and his agent are dropping numbers like $30 million per?

 

Yeah, it's shocking. If Albert makes it to FA, it's over for the Cards.

[mookie]

I have been giddy all day since that press conference. I know it is a long way away, but I have this feeling Pujols is a Cub for 2012. End of the world? You bet your sweet ass!!

 

 

:yahoo:

[SouthSideRyan]

What a hilarious offer from the Cardinals

[Sammy Sofa]

Offering Albert 19-21 million (about where 10th place would put him) is a slap in the face. The word that I have heard is that it is the AAV that Albert didn't like, not the years.

 

If that's the case, I offer Albert 6/180 and see what happens.

 

Definitely. Toss on a player option for a 7th and a club option for an 8th, too.

[MWV]

It doesn't seem like they were interested in making serious offers. Which is weird. Especially considering the the state of their financial affairs at the close of the 2011 season. My recollection is that Carpenter has a $15 million option and Molina a $7 million option. Unless I'm mistaken, those would have to be picked up prior to FA negotiations. One would think it would behoove the cards to have a more concrete understanding of their budget at that point; a position they could have afforded themselves by locking up Pujols.

Worst case scenario (by which I mean best) is that they must decline the options of Carpenter and Molina in order to command the requisite funds to compete with other offers for Pujols, and ultimately they lose out on all three. Unlikely though that may be, they're not making matters easy for themselves.

[SouthSideRyan]

Maybe they shouldn't have committed 12M to Kyle Lohse for the year Pujols's new contract would start

[SouthSideRyan]

Maybe they shouldn't have committed 12M to Kyle Lohse for the year Pujols's new contract would start

 

Or maybe they shoudl've offered Pujols a little more than 2M more than Matt Holiday

[UMFan83]

It doesn't seem like they were interested in making serious offers. Which is weird. Especially considering the the state of their financial affairs at the close of the 2011 season. My recollection is that Carpenter has a $15 million option and Molina a $7 million option. Unless I'm mistaken, those would have to be picked up prior to FA negotiations. One would think it would behoove the cards to have a more concrete understanding of their budget at that point; a position they could have afforded themselves by locking up Pujols.

Worst case scenario (by which I mean best) is that they must decline the options of Carpenter and Molina in order to command the requisite funds to compete with other offers for Pujols, and ultimately they lose out on all three. Unlikely though that may be, they're not making matters easy for themselves.

 

I don't think the Cardinals would do that scenario. I am pretty sure the Cardinals will never offer Pujols $30 mil per season. They can't afford to give 30% of their payroll to 1 player. If the Cardinals did offer Pujols $30 million, I think he would have already signed. If the Cardinals were going to offer $30 million they already would have. I think the Cardinals are banking on the fact that the Yankees and Red Sox are probably not going to be bidding for him, and the Mets and Dodgers have ownership issues. So realistically, the only teams that can afford a $30 million contract, based on past spending and market size are the Angels and Cubs. If neither of them decides to offer $30 million, Pujols probably resigns with St. Louis if their offer is close. But then again, can the Cubs really NOT do everything possible to sign him? It's not just the Cubs getting Pujols, its also removing the best player in baseball from your arch rivals who compete for a division every year.

 

I honestly can't see a way St. Louis avoids coming out of this poorly. Either they lose Pujols, possibly to an arch rival, or they pay half their payroll to 2 players for the next 7-8 years. The Cardinals are in trouble and I love it.

[Cubfanintheknow]

Offering Albert 19-21 million (about where 10th place would put him) is a slap in the face. The word that I have heard is that it is the AAV that Albert didn't like, not the years.

 

If that's the case, I offer Albert 6/180 and see what happens.

 

Definitely. Toss on a player option for a 7th and a club option for an 8th, too.

 

I'd even throw in a Hall of Fame clause: You have another $5 million coming your way if you can sway the HOF board into letting you wear a Cub's cap when you're enshrined.

[StarlinOnYou]

Why even bother with an embarrassing offer like that? A bit shocking, IMO.

[Halman]

Why even bother with an embarrassing offer like that? A bit shocking, IMO.

 

It's a courtesy offer. It's substantial enough that it's there's no way pujols would accept it and it's substantial enough the fans will be happy.

 

I just don't think the Cards can sign him for more than 20 mill due to other bad deals given. Thank you, White Soriano for that grand 1/2 season.

[Sammy Sofa]

It still blows my mind that they're this [expletive] cheap. Yeah, fine, the stadium and village costs, but come on...there are teams that would kill to have the Cardinals' revenue stream and they're acting like they're barely able to spend more than the Royals. Yeah, I know the payroll jumped up between 2009 and 2010, but come on, this is embarrassing.

[UMFan83]

It still blows my mind that they're this [expletive] cheap. Yeah, fine, the stadium and village costs, but come on...there are teams that would kill to have the Cardinals' revenue stream and they're acting like they're barely able to spend more than the Royals. Yeah, I know the payroll jumped up between 2009 and 2010, but come on, this is embarrassing.

 

I dont know...4th smallest market in baseball and even if the Cardinals payroll was at 120 million, he'd make up 25% of their payroll. I realize that they operate and produce revenues that a mid-market club would, but thats only 15 million less than what the Cubs are spending this year. I personally think they would have a hard time fielding a competitive team with a $30 million player on the payroll.