Albert Pujols

[BSN07]

The Cardinals "appear to have firmed" the timetable for talks about a new contract with Albert Pujols according to Joe Strauss of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link). The team unsurprisingly picked up their first baseman's $16MM option for 2011 last month.

 

Ok the possibility of Pujols becoming a FA is starting to become "the elephant in the room" so to speak. Fielder and Agon get discussed readily as being out there for grabs next season. Pujols only gets a mention here and there. Almost as if people are whispering about him but do not want to talk to loudly for fear of spooking the chances of Pujols being in your teams uniform away.

 

I just wanted to get everyone's opinion on how reasonable they think it will be for St. Louis to sign Albert. Is he going to want to set the market? Or will he take less to finish his career there. I mean if he get's 30M a season, Holliday and himself will account for like 45% of the teams payroll. And with Carpenter and Wainwright due for new deals, that's not leaving much room for flexibility. Just throwing it out there for conversation sake.

[Palodios]

I think everyone assumes he's going back to St Louis. Its a good club with pitching, and he will have protection in the lineup, and he's definitely a franchise player. Every now and then, I use the phrase "in an ideal, beautiful world the Sox will sign Pujols" but I can't see him going anywhere. The Cards may use the Twins strategy-- 60 of their 72 million right now is devoted to 4 players, and they've made it to the playoffs several times the past ten years. Has there even been any reports of Pujols talking about wanting to hit the open market?

[ORS]

Or unicorns, we could throw those out there for discussion. Like Pujols, they are awesome, magical creatures, and like his chances of becomming an FA, they are pure fantasy.

[BSN07]

Or unicorns' date=' we could throw those out there for discussion. Like Pujols, they are awesome, magical creatures, and like his chances of becomming an FA, they are pure fantasy.[/quote']

 

[Palodios]

In an ideal beautiful world, unicorns do exist.

 

You're right, it does work the same way.