Pujols signs with Angels pg 151

[haubrich91]

I wonder if Albert will call ESPN to host, "The Decision...Part II".

[mookie]

Can't they just sign him after the season?

[BigSlick]

I swear to god, and I'm not saying this to cover up a typo, but my keyboard has been falling apart lately. You can tell because half the time I don't use caps at all (the shift key on the left side has died completely so if I want to capitalize something I have to shift from right side, which is awkward)

[Banedon]

Can't they just sign him after the season?

 

Sure. But after the season, Pujols could easily want to see what's out there in free agency land. It's much safer to get him locked up now.

[Soul]

I wonder if Albert will call ESPN to host, "The Decision...Part II".

 

Funny.

 

Sad, but ESPN would do it. I think Albert's got a little more class than that, though. Fortunately.

[daske17]

I wonder if Albert will call ESPN to host, "The Decision...Part II".

 

Funny.

 

Sad, but ESPN would do it. I think Albert's got a little more class than that, though. Fortunately.

 

But even if he did, it would be Fox News hosted by Glenn Beck.

[shnsajax]

Can't they just sign him after the season?

 

Sure. But after the season, Pujols could easily want to see what's out there in free agency land. It's much safer to get him locked up now.

 

It could very well cost them an additional $30 million if it happens after the season.

[davell]

If he's not signed by the Cards before the season, I wonder what kind of reaction he'll get at Wrigley this year?

[shnsajax]

If he's not signed by the Cards before the season, I wonder what kind of reaction he'll get at Wrigley this year?

 

If he hasn't signed there needs to be a collective effort to cheer for him as much as possible. Something organizied by the fans prior to every Cards game.

[SweetZombieJesus]

If he's not signed by the Cards before the season, I wonder what kind of reaction he'll get at Wrigley this year?

 

If he hasn't signed there needs to be a collective effort to cheer for him as much as possible. Something organizied by the fans prior to every Cards game.

 

Ladies and gentlemen meet your Chicago Knicks!

 

Is there the baseball equalivalent of a star that no one wanted?

[davell]

By the way, I think that something the Cubs will have to seriously consider if Pujols hits the market is this: How soon do you think you're truly going to be a contender? I would think that ANY team interested in signing Pujols would HAVE to think they're going to be a contender almost immediately, because you're probably going to get about a 4-5 year window of Pujols playing at his best(or near it), followed by a dropoff from that point forward.

 

So, for the Cubs to be in this position, I'd think that they're going to have to see Castro take another step or two forward, same with Cashner showing he's going to be a frontline starter, and possibly even Brett Jackson showing he's going to be a solid CF option. If those 3 guys show these things, it'd allow the Cubs plenty of financial flexibility to go along with having an elite closer in Marmol, a very solid hitting catcher in Soto, a frontline starter in Garza and hopefully a solid hitting OFer in Colvin all being paid below their market value.

 

It leaves the bullpen to be addressed, which is likely to be fine with what we've got in it now and what we've got on the horizon. It leaves 2B and 3B as question marks for the future and an OF spot that's likely to be reserved for an aging Soriano, due to his contract. It'd also leave a couple of spots in the rotation open once Z and Demp are off the books(or resigned cheaper than what they're getting now. One of these spots almost would have to be filled with an "ace" type guy and the other two could be filled with guys from the system or cheaper options at least.

 

But, for me anyway, we need to basically have one of 2B or 3B filled with a very solid bat and one bigtime pitching addition to the rotation, to go along with Castro, Cashner, and Brett jackson all contributing, if we're going to try and make Pujols or even Fielder work for us to the point where the money laid out can actually pay off with a championship over the next few seasons.

[Guest]

You swap out Pujols for Pena on this team and I'm pretty confident they win the division. For next year, my biggest concern would be replacing Dempster, and what to do with Ramirez/3B.

[mookie]

By the way, I think that something the Cubs will have to seriously consider if Pujols hits the market is this: How soon do you think you're truly going to be a contender? I would think that ANY team interested in signing Pujols would HAVE to think they're going to be a contender almost immediately, because you're probably going to get about a 4-5 year window of Pujols playing at his best(or near it), followed by a dropoff from that point forward.

 

So, for the Cubs to be in this position, I'd think that they're going to have to see Castro take another step or two forward, same with Cashner showing he's going to be a frontline starter, and possibly even Brett Jackson showing he's going to be a solid CF option. If those 3 guys show these things, it'd allow the Cubs plenty of financial flexibility to go along with having an elite closer in Marmol, a very solid hitting catcher in Soto, a frontline starter in Garza and hopefully a solid hitting OFer in Colvin all being paid below their market value.

 

It leaves the bullpen to be addressed, which is likely to be fine with what we've got in it now and what we've got on the horizon. It leaves 2B and 3B as question marks for the future and an OF spot that's likely to be reserved for an aging Soriano, due to his contract. It'd also leave a couple of spots in the rotation open once Z and Demp are off the books(or resigned cheaper than what they're getting now. One of these spots almost would have to be filled with an "ace" type guy and the other two could be filled with guys from the system or cheaper options at least.

 

But, for me anyway, we need to basically have one of 2B or 3B filled with a very solid bat and one bigtime pitching addition to the rotation, to go along with Castro, Cashner, and Brett jackson all contributing, if we're going to try and make Pujols or even Fielder work for us to the point where the money laid out can actually pay off with a championship over the next few seasons.

 

Nice post. The holes at third and second are what worries me the most.

 

Third Base FA

 

Jose Bautista (31)

Wilson Betemit (30)

Casey Blake (38) - $6MM club option with a $1.25MM buyout

Jorge Cantu (30)

Eric Chavez (34)

Craig Counsell (41)

Joe Crede (34)

Mark DeRosa (37)

Greg Dobbs (33)

Edwin Encarnacion (29) - $3.5MM club option

Pedro Feliz (37)

Jerry Hairston Jr. (36)

Wes Helms (36)

Omar Infante (30)

Felipe Lopez (32)

Jose Lopez (28)

Melvin Mora (40)

Nick Punto (34)

Aramis Ramirez (34)

Miguel Tejada (38)

Omar Vizquel (45)

 

Second Base FA

 

Clint Barmes (33)

Ronnie Belliard (37)

Willie Bloomquist (34) - mutual option

Robinson Cano (29) - $14MM club option with a $2MM buyout

Jamey Carroll (37)

Luis Castillo (36)

Alex Cora (36)

Craig Counsell (41)

Mark Ellis (35)

Jerry Hairston Jr. (36)

Bill Hall (32) - mutual option

Aaron Hill (30) - $8MM club option for 2012, $8MM club option for '13, $10MM club option for '14

Omar Infante (30)

Kelly Johnson (30)

Adam Kennedy (36)

Felipe Lopez (32)

Jose Lopez (28)

Aaron Miles (35)

Augie Ojeda (37)

Brandon Phillips (31) - $12MM club option with a $1MM buyout

Freddy Sanchez (34)

Rickie Weeks (29)

 

Unless we can steal Rickie Weeks, or Bautista, those lists look pretty god awful. I would imagine we would have to pull off a trade, but for who? Or do we resign Aramis to a 2 year deal?

 

The Cubs have a very very interesting situation coming up after this season.

[mookie]

How much flexibility in payroll will the Cubs have next season? Or is that still up in the air?

[mookie]

You swap out Pujols for Pena on this team and I'm pretty confident they win the division. For next year, my biggest concern would be replacing Dempster, and what to do with Ramirez/3B.

 

 

We could try to replace Dempster with his AL buddy C.J. Wilson, but I don't know how much he would cost at this point.

[Northside Blues]

If he's not signed by the Cards before the season, I wonder what kind of reaction he'll get at Wrigley this year?

 

If he hasn't signed there needs to be a collective effort to cheer for him as much as possible. Something organizied by the fans prior to every Cards game.

 

Ladies and gentlemen meet your Chicago Knicks!

 

Is there the baseball equalivalent of a star that no one wanted?

http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2007/baseball/mlb/08/07/bonds.record/p1.bonds.si.jpg

 

He didn't want to retire and was coming off a season when he had a .480 OBP, 45th highest all-time.

[CP_414]

By the way, I think that something the Cubs will have to seriously consider if Pujols hits the market is this: How soon do you think you're truly going to be a contender? I would think that ANY team interested in signing Pujols would HAVE to think they're going to be a contender almost immediately, because you're probably going to get about a 4-5 year window of Pujols playing at his best(or near it), followed by a dropoff from that point forward.

 

So, for the Cubs to be in this position, I'd think that they're going to have to see Castro take another step or two forward, same with Cashner showing he's going to be a frontline starter, and possibly even Brett Jackson showing he's going to be a solid CF option. If those 3 guys show these things, it'd allow the Cubs plenty of financial flexibility to go along with having an elite closer in Marmol, a very solid hitting catcher in Soto, a frontline starter in Garza and hopefully a solid hitting OFer in Colvin all being paid below their market value.

 

It leaves the bullpen to be addressed, which is likely to be fine with what we've got in it now and what we've got on the horizon. It leaves 2B and 3B as question marks for the future and an OF spot that's likely to be reserved for an aging Soriano, due to his contract. It'd also leave a couple of spots in the rotation open once Z and Demp are off the books(or resigned cheaper than what they're getting now. One of these spots almost would have to be filled with an "ace" type guy and the other two could be filled with guys from the system or cheaper options at least.

 

But, for me anyway, we need to basically have one of 2B or 3B filled with a very solid bat and one bigtime pitching addition to the rotation, to go along with Castro, Cashner, and Brett jackson all contributing, if we're going to try and make Pujols or even Fielder work for us to the point where the money laid out can actually pay off with a championship over the next few seasons.

 

Thats a good point. If Cashner, Brett Jackson, and McNutt can establish themselves as average to above average starters this team can contend in 2012...

 

C - Soto

1b - Pujols

2b - ?

ss - Castro

3b - ?

LF - Soriano

CF - B. Jackson

RF - Byrd/Colvin

 

SP - Garza, Z, Dempster, Cashner, McNutt

RP - Marmol, Carpenter, J.Jackson...

 

They could use another front of the rotation starter, but maybe Cashner or McNutt will be that by 2012. If the Cubs choose to go that way in the draft there may also be a college pitcher like Gray, Jurgensen, or Jed Bradley that could contribue to the rotation in 2012.

 

As you mentioned, they also could use another solid bat at 2B or 3b. I'm sure they wouldn't have the money left, but Weeks at 2b would be a huge step to making them an excellent team. I wouldn't count on it, but maybe Vitters learns to take a walk this year. If they like their chances in 2012, they could even pick up the option on Aramis, assuming they get creative with the payroll.

 

Lots of question marks, but a player like Pujols makes such a huge difference. It would be hard to imagine him being on the team and them not being contenders for the next 4-5 years at least.

[davell]

You swap out Pujols for Pena on this team and I'm pretty confident they win the division. For next year, my biggest concern would be replacing Dempster, and what to do with Ramirez/3B.

 

 

Maybe so, but if I'm going to pay someone 300 million bucks, I want to be considered more than the probable division winner. I'd want to be considered one of the favorites to win the World Series. Don't get me wrong, I know once you make the playoffs anything can and does happen. But, if I'm spending that kind of money on a guy, I'm looking at how my team matches up with EVERYONE, not just the division.

 

To me, I don't think we'll lose Demp after this season personally. He loves it here and has his player option available, which I'd think he exercises. What I don't want to see though, is we restructure it to being slightly less than it is right now and add on another 2 years or so on top of it. But, in the end, this is why a guy like Liriano is much more valuable to me anyway. You'd be thinking ahead to the point where you've got his replacement already and you can let him walk and hopefully pocket some picks as well for him.

 

Third base could be very interesting and could also be very problematic as well. I'm sure the Cubs want this: Aramis has an awesome season and we let him walk.(Not sure if we can decline his option AND then offer arb or not, does anyone know this?) Let someone else sign him for big money and watch him decline steadily over his next contract. Part two of the Cubs plan would obviously be for one of Vitters or LeMahieu to show enough that they look to be the longterm answer for them. Personally, I'm thinking this is not going to happen(other than I can see LeMahieu being a very solid hitting 2B, but not sure his body doesn't move him off there). At that point, maybe DeWitt could move to 3B? You're creating an offensive hole there that'd need to be made up elsewhere though.

 

My best case scenario for the Cubs, other than one of Vitters or LeMahieu being able to handle it, would be for Aramis to have an "OK" season. Then, you give him a 2 year deal at less money and bide some time until another option is available during that time frame.

[Guest]

You swap out Pujols for Pena on this team and I'm pretty confident they win the division. For next year, my biggest concern would be replacing Dempster, and what to do with Ramirez/3B.

 

 

Maybe so, but if I'm going to pay someone 300 million bucks, I want to be considered more than the probable division winner. I'd want to be considered one of the favorites to win the World Series. Don't get me wrong, I know once you make the playoffs anything can and does happen. But, if I'm spending that kind of money on a guy, I'm looking at how my team matches up with EVERYONE, not just the division.

 

I guess I understand that sentiment, but in order to get better you have to have better players. Pujols provides an amazing amount of value for one position, and I think there's some positive externalities to having him on the team that don't necessarily show up in WAR too. Would you really pass on Pujols simply because Brett Jackson stumbled at AAA? It's a lot easier to be creative/lucky and come up with a 2 win CF than it is to come up with a 7 win 1B.

[davell]

You swap out Pujols for Pena on this team and I'm pretty confident they win the division. For next year, my biggest concern would be replacing Dempster, and what to do with Ramirez/3B.

 

 

Maybe so, but if I'm going to pay someone 300 million bucks, I want to be considered more than the probable division winner. I'd want to be considered one of the favorites to win the World Series. Don't get me wrong, I know once you make the playoffs anything can and does happen. But, if I'm spending that kind of money on a guy, I'm looking at how my team matches up with EVERYONE, not just the division.

 

I guess I understand that sentiment, but in order to get better you have to have better players. Pujols provides an amazing amount of value for one position, and I think there's some positive externalities to having him on the team that don't necessarily show up in WAR too. Would you really pass on Pujols simply because Brett Jackson stumbled at AAA? It's a lot easier to be creative/lucky and come up with a 2 win CF than it is to come up with a 7 win 1B.

 

 

No, not at all. I'm just outlining it this way, because of the monetary issues potentially involved here. If Brett Jackson struggles bigtime this year(I don't see it myself, I think he's a pretty safe bet to be at least an average starting CF in the majors) you always have the ability to go and draft someone else. Maybe a Jackie Bradley?

 

But, what I am saying is that if you're the Cubs, you're probably looking at the CF spot as a position that they're going to need to make work for cheap dollars, during the 1st part of a Pujols deal, in all likelihood. Whether it's Brett or someone else.

[UMFan83]

Obviously it would also help to have a plan in place to upgrade the facilities for the home team at Wrigley in order to woo Pujols to sign here. If the Cubs are offering the most money, then they'll likely win (against anyone but STL), but if money is similar from multiple teams, you have to think little things like that are going to sway him. Especially because I remember him saying somewhat critical things about the facilities at Wrigley before.

[davearm2]

Sign Pujols for 3B and Fielder for 1B.

[apete6]

Sign Pujols for 3B and Fielder for 1B.

 

This.

[Backtobanks]

Obviously it would also help to have a plan in place to upgrade the facilities for the home team at Wrigley in order to woo Pujols to sign here. If the Cubs are offering the most money, then they'll likely win (against anyone but STL), but if money is similar from multiple teams, you have to think little things like that are going to sway him. Especially because I remember him saying somewhat critical things about the facilities at Wrigley before.

 

If the money is basically the same, he might prefer staying in the NL and specifically the NL Central. Also, the facilities might be crappy, but the Cubs and their fans are noted for worshiping their heroes. There aren't many other teams (except possibly the Yankees) who have such a strong relationship with their former players.

[Guest]

Just imagine what an epic video we would get from Elias if Pujols came here.