Pujols Signs With Angels

[Leroy]

For those of you still struggling, think about this for awhile. A lot of you grew up around St. Louis, so Cardinal red blood flows through you. I didn't, but ever since I saw Ozzie do a back flip in the World Series, it did for me too. I couldn't change my allegiance if I wanted to. I've seen great players, terrible players, great teams and terrible ones. But I cannot change.

Players grow up playing for different teams in Little League, Legion ball or whatever. Then they go to some team in the minors. A lot of them get bounced around. Most don't care who they are playing for, just want a shot at the show. Most of them never get it. Some do, and even then stand a pretty good shot that they will bounce around from time to time in the bigs. It has to be hard to have a dedication to a team, when you aren't sure if the team is dedicated to you.

The guy really living the dream is Freese. Even the World Series hero bounced around before he got home. But even if he never plays another game, he should feel like he's sitting on top of the world for the rest of his life.

[Radbird]

From Bernie:

When the Cardinals approached Pujols and agent Dan Lozano about a contract extension, two years (or so) ago, this is what they were told: Pujols wanted the Alex Rodriguez contract of 10 years and $275 million. That was the starting point. So what was there to negotiate unless the Cardinals were willing to do the A-Rod deal or something close to it?

Confident in their chances of hitting a mega jackpot, Lozano and Pujols were understandably willing to explore free agency to make it happen. And they were correct; Pujols got $254 million. But there was never going to be an early-bird contract extension at a discount rate for the Cardinals. Lozano delayed Pujols' entry into free agency by accepting a short-money deal with the Cardinals for Pujols in 2004. Team Pujols wasn't going to settle for the short money again.



Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/ ... z1g73qJKwj

Yeah, I posted earlier that I was getting pissed hearing "the Cardinals blew it, they could have extended him before he reached free agency". They weren't willing to pay $254 million Wednesday, and they weren't willing to pay him that two years ago. How is that "blowing it"?

The only positive about signing him 2 years ago would've been that a 10-year deal would've ended when he was 39, not 41. But that would've still been a burdensome contract to have on the books - would we have been able to sign Holliday and/or Berkman if that had happened?

[docellis]

i thought it was weird today on 101.1 some show host was saying that diedre wanted to get into tv and AJ (albert's son) wanted to act so that was part of the appeal of LA. Also, KY's link to the morning cup of joe show mentioned something (as a joke) about diedre being on the real housewives of oc.

[slide_into_first]

The die was cast when the wives of former Angels--Adam Kennedy, Troy Glaus, Scott Spiezio- got Dierdre excited about moving.

[AdmiralKird]

i thought it was weird today on 101.1 some show host was saying that diedre wanted to get into tv and AJ (albert's son) wanted to act so that was part of the appeal of LA. Also, KY's link to the morning cup of joe show mentioned something (as a joke) about diedre being on the real housewives of oc.

I bet AP will have fun with his son joining the liberal elite.

[maddash]

From Bernie:

When the Cardinals approached Pujols and agent Dan Lozano about a contract extension, two years (or so) ago, this is what they were told: Pujols wanted the Alex Rodriguez contract of 10 years and $275 million. That was the starting point. So what was there to negotiate unless the Cardinals were willing to do the A-Rod deal or something close to it?

Confident in their chances of hitting a mega jackpot, Lozano and Pujols were understandably willing to explore free agency to make it happen. And they were correct; Pujols got $254 million. But there was never going to be an early-bird contract extension at a discount rate for the Cardinals. Lozano delayed Pujols' entry into free agency by accepting a short-money deal with the Cardinals for Pujols in 2004. Team Pujols wasn't going to settle for the short money again.



Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/ ... z1g73qJKwj

Yeah, I posted earlier that I was getting pissed hearing "the Cardinals blew it, they could have extended him before he reached free agency". They weren't willing to pay $254 million Wednesday, and they weren't willing to pay him that two years ago. How is that "blowing it"?

Sorry if this has been discussed, but let's say we could go back in time to 2007 or 2008. If you owned the Cards, would you have offered Albert a 10 year deal (he would have been 27 or 28 at the time) for something around $25 million a year? That deal doesn't look nearly as bad and it's one Albert might have actually agreed to.

Albert is a special case, but you do seem to be seeing more contract extensions for players who are already in pretty good contracts. Ryan Bruan was extended out to 2020 after already having a contact that kept him a Brewer until 2015.

[Swirls]

Fan_in_NY had it:

I feel the same as Erik Manning does
" If Pujols re-signs I will be happy yet disgusted with the contract. If he signs with Miami I will be disgusted yet relieved"

Yep, he hit the nail on the head. I wish he'd post here more often - ever since he had to step away from Future Redbirds he's not been too active anywhere that I can find, even on his own blog PAH9.

[AdmiralKird]

Sorry if this has been discussed, but let's say we could go back in time to 2007 or 2008. If you owned the Cards, would you have offered Albert a 10 year deal (he would have been 27 or 28 at the time) for something around $25 million a year? That deal doesn't look nearly as bad and it's one Albert might have actually agreed to.

Well, remember in '08 it was presumed he'd almost miss half a season or more because of the reports about his arm. And we were just going through the whole 'failed' Carpenter extension.

[Freed Roger]

and more:

http://www.kfns.com/JoeSportsFan/Story.aspx?ID=1584248

I liked this one -and must admit, it took me a while to figure out that they were fakes.


From Hummel's article yesterday

Musial also finishes with a substantial edge in popularity. He had a chance to leave the Cardinals for Jorge Pascual's newly formed Mexican League for $125,000, plus a $50,000 signing bonus, in 1946. Musial, earning $13,500 with the Cardinals at the time, didn't go.

Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball ... z1gA4c3Q2t

Percentag-wise -Stan turned down a loot of money -assuming it was legit.

[clake]

I must like torturing myself because I'm getting ready to watch the Anaheim press conference. Kind of funny however, as I turned on the MLB Network they were airing Ken Burns Baseball and the segment that was on was about Stan Musial. Very fitting.