Pujols signs with Angels pg 151

[Guest]

That's wishful thinking. I won't believe any of this until it's November and he files for free agency. If he bolts from Stl at all (there's nothing to say that he won't re-sign even after he becomes a FA), is he really going to want to move-on to his former team's chief rival? The last guy of any prominence who did that was Johnny Damon, and he isn't "normal".

 

 

Maybe it's just me, but I honestly think he wouldn't give a rat's ass about that.

[Sammy Sofa]

The Red Sox and Yankees are not out of the mix.

I hope not. I want him the hell out of the NLC (with the obvious exception of the Cubs).

 

 

With them out, if he goes anywhere, it's almost certainly to the Cubs, IMO.

 

Would the Dodgers not be major players?

 

I would think the Cubs, Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers and Angels would be the main bidders, though I wouldn't be surprised to see Kansas City make a serious run or even the National squeak in there.

[Northside Blues]

The Red Sox and Yankees are not out of the mix.

I hope not. I want him the hell out of the NLC (with the obvious exception of the Cubs).

 

 

With them out, if he goes anywhere, it's almost certainly to the Cubs, IMO.

 

Would the Dodgers not be major players?

 

Of course they would be, Angels too though. Not that it's a realistic option, but I'm sure the Nationals will throw a lot of money at him.

[Guest]

The Red Sox and Yankees are not out of the mix.

I hope not. I want him the hell out of the NLC (with the obvious exception of the Cubs).

 

 

With them out, if he goes anywhere, it's almost certainly to the Cubs, IMO.

 

Would the Dodgers not be major players?

 

 

Do they even have money?

 

I thought they were insanely cash strapped (and worse than the Cubs about wasting resources on crappy veterans).

[Northside Blues]

The Red Sox and Yankees are not out of the mix.

I hope not. I want him the hell out of the NLC (with the obvious exception of the Cubs).

 

 

With them out, if he goes anywhere, it's almost certainly to the Cubs, IMO.

 

Would the Dodgers not be major players?

 

I would think the Cubs, Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers and Angels would be the main bidders, though I wouldn't be surprised to see Kansas City make a serious run or even the National squeak in there.

 

Rangers?

[Sammy Sofa]

Whoops, forgot about them.

[Guest]

The Angels and Rangers would also be players.

 

I know we like to be pessimistic in general about things, but if you'd ask fans of other teams, (based on my, admittedly limited, experience) a huge number of them would consider the Cubs the most likely destination if they throw him the money that St. Louis won't.

Edited February 17, 2011 by David

[Sammy Sofa]

The Angels would also be a player.

 

 

I know we like to be pessimistic in general about things, but if you'd ask fans of other teams, (based on my, admittedly limited, experience) a huge number of them would consider the Cubs the most likely destination if they throw him the money that St. Louis won't.

 

Oh, I definitely think the Cubs have the best shot if they're willing to pay him whatever it takes.

[OleMissCub]

Kansas City make a serious run

 

for real? If I was as wealthy as Pujols already is, to get me to go play for a isht team and market like KC, they'd have to offer like 5m/y more than the next highest bidder.

[Northside Blues]

The Red Sox and Yankees are not out of the mix.

I hope not. I want him the hell out of the NLC (with the obvious exception of the Cubs).

 

 

With them out, if he goes anywhere, it's almost certainly to the Cubs, IMO.

 

Would the Dodgers not be major players?

 

 

Do they even have money?

 

I thought they were insanely cash strapped (and worse than the Cubs about wasting resources on crappy veterans).

 

 

Furcal, Blake and Kuroda are FA's combining for about 30 mil gone after the year. You're right though. And a lot of that money will be used in arby for Billingsley, Ethier, Kemp, Kershaw and Loney (though w/ AP they'd nontender him one would think). They couldnt keep Russell Martin around for christ's sake.

[woodchip2153]

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.

 

 

Not exactly true. By size of TV markets they are 7th. By MSA they are 9th. By CSA they are 6th. They are a small market team, but they have some things going for them. There's no NBA franchise. There's no dominant college sports program, like a USC, Michigan or Ohio State. There's an NFL team and them. I guess there's the NHL... Not sure that counts. It's also a sports happy city/area and baseball is ingrained into the city. That plus it's ideal situation near the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers means that there are a lot major business HQ's/distribution centers to invest in the team, through advertising, etc. St Louis, for example, has more fortune 500 HQs than Los Angeles, Boston and Philadelphia. Add all that together and if you were to rank teams by areas of potential profitability, the Cardinals would probably rank in the 10-15 range. Definitely a mid-market team. I think they're also top five among MLB teams in merchandising, not sure how much of that is shared though.

 

never underestimate how much these rednecks love their fights hockey.

 

St. Louis itself is a smaller market but as others have mentioned their footprint beyond St. Louis is huge. It just amazes me how the people in STL accept that they are a small market and think Albert should keep playing for half his market value to stay a Cardinal. Only a handful of my friends actually think the cardinals are being cheap.

Edited February 17, 2011 by woodchip2153

[sneakypower]

I would think the Cubs, Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers and Angels would be the main bidders, though I wouldn't be surprised to see Kansas City make a serious run or even the National squeak in there.

i don't think Dodgers are in it, unless McCourt sells the team

 

Kansas City really doesn't make any sense and Nationals blew their load on Werth already

 

this is how i see it now, in order of likelihood:

Cards - Cubs - Yankees - Rangers - Angels - Red Sox - Marlins

Edited February 17, 2011 by sneakypower

[Northside Blues]

When I think of hockey, I don't think of southern rednecks, or midwestern rednecks, or any rednecks whatsoever. It's all about Nascar.

[woodchip2153]

When I think of hockey, I don't think of southern rednecks, or midwestern rednecks, or any rednecks whatsoever. It's all about Nascar.

 

it's a strange phenomenon in South St. Louis County. They love their hockey and nascar.

[Sammy Sofa]

Kansas City make a serious run

 

for real? If I was as wealthy as Pujols already is, to get me to go play for a isht team and market like KC, they'd have to offer like 5m/y more than the next highest bidder.

 

Hey, they have a lot of money to spend and he's a guy who's already won a championship. Maybe he'd like the challenge. It's not like it's a shitty market like the Rays have; KC still has a devoted core fanbase and at least some history of glory in their past. It's kind of a lesser version of what I think could motivate him to sign here, the idea of taking a forlorn team all the way.

[SouthSideRyan]

What is there to say he will re-sign with St. Louis??

[sneakypower]

path of least resistance.

[Sammy Sofa]

I would think the Cubs, Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers and Angels would be the main bidders, though I wouldn't be surprised to see Kansas City make a serious run or even the National squeak in there.

i don't think Dodgers are in it, unless McCourt sells the team

 

Kansas City really doesn't make any sense and Nationals blew their load on Werth already

 

this is how i see it now, in order of likelihood:

Cards - Cubs - Yankees - Rangers - Angels - Red Sox - Marlins

 

The Nationals still have serious money to burn if they want to, and adding Pujols with Harper and Strasburg would ultimately make them an ungodly amount of money in what's potentially a very big market for a really, really good baseball team.

[Guest]

I still wonder what we do with the rest of the roster (and all those spots that open up along with that money coming off the books) if we DO sign him.

 

Anyone have any ideas?

 

Baseball isn't basketball, after all...We'll have to be at least solid in those spots for this move to really be worth it.

[Sammy Sofa]

What is there to say he will re-sign with St. Louis??

 

I'm still expecting him to be like Aramis and agree to a deal at the last minute just before FA begins.

[Sammy Sofa]

I still wonder what we do with the rest of the roster (and all those spots that open up along with that money coming off the books) if we DO sign him.

 

Anyone have any ideas?

 

Baseball isn't basketball, after all...We'll have to be at least solid in those spots for this move to really be worth it.

 

Re-sign Aramis with the team option and either sign someone for RF or put Jackson out there and sign a starter. YOU'RE WELCOME.

Edited February 17, 2011 by Sammy Sofa

[Northside Blues]

I would think the Cubs, Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers and Angels would be the main bidders, though I wouldn't be surprised to see Kansas City make a serious run or even the National squeak in there.

i don't think Dodgers are in it, unless McCourt sells the team

 

Kansas City really doesn't make any sense and Nationals blew their load on Werth already

 

this is how i see it now, in order of likelihood:

Cards - Cubs - Yankees - Angels - Red Sox - Marlins

 

Marlins? Not a chance. I would consider the Red Sox a more likely landing spot than the Yankees. There's a chance they don't get Alex Gonzalez locked up, which means they have all the incentive in the world to go hard after Pujols. The Nationals could have afforded Werth and Lee this offseason, so there's no reason they can't afford Pujols. They're going to be players for him. Maybe not on the level of the Cubs or Angels, but they're going to be among the top bidders, dollar wise.

 

The real problem could be that the Cardinals may be out or significantly far behind come July. If they're eight games out and sitting behind Milwaukee and Cincinnati, I know he and they have said a trade won't happen, but you've gotta think that it will enter both people's minds, even if Albert wants to resign. It's not likely, though, that the Cardinals are out of it then though.

[SouthSideRyan]

What is there to say he will re-sign with St. Louis??

 

I'm still expecting him to be like Aramis and agree to a deal at the last minute just before FA begins.

 

But that's not really based in reality. If the reports are true, they're nowhere close on the numbers. Is St. Louis going to come up with an extra 80M in the next 7 months?

[sneakypower]

I would think the Cubs, Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers and Angels would be the main bidders, though I wouldn't be surprised to see Kansas City make a serious run or even the National squeak in there.

i don't think Dodgers are in it, unless McCourt sells the team

 

Kansas City really doesn't make any sense and Nationals blew their load on Werth already

 

this is how i see it now, in order of likelihood:

Cards - Cubs - Yankees - Rangers - Angels - Red Sox - Marlins

 

The Nationals still have serious money to burn if they want to, and adding Pujols with Harper and Strasburg would ultimately make them an ungodly amount of money in what's potentially a very big market for a really, really good baseball team.

even in their best case scenario, when Harper & Strasburg, the Zimmermans start getting raises and approaching FA, retaining them is going to cause their payroll to balloon well out of check if you've already got $50M in two other players

 

just doesn't make sense

[Sammy Sofa]

What is there to say he will re-sign with St. Louis??

 

I'm still expecting him to be like Aramis and agree to a deal at the last minute just before FA begins.

 

But that's not really based in reality. If the reports are true, they're nowhere close on the numbers. Is St. Louis going to come up with an extra 80M in the next 7 months?

 

Sure, why not? I don't know, maybe they were really trying to force the hometown discount issue before spring training. I still think they have the money to add $14 million to their payroll if they actually want to spend it.