Pujols Signs With Angels

[AdmiralKird]

i've noticed a couple posts that infer ryan being traded had something to do with pujols?

It has been pretty well established that Ryan was traded because he had a very annoying, very hyper personality, (possibly ADHD), and it rubbed some in the club house the wrong way. There was an episode that was caught on TV where Schumaker refused to give Ryan a high five, and you could read Ryan's lips saying, "come on, man". Another time Ryan was late getting on the field, and after the inning Carp was caught on camera reaming him out down in the tunnel.

I don't remember any story that said AP was actually bothered by Ryan, but it's not hard to imagine the two personalities clashing. And with AP being the king of the clubhouse, it has been assumed, rightly or not, that he was responsible for pushing for the trade.

Recently Ryan was interviewed about his time in STL, and he was very classy, with nothing but good things to say about his time here.

The article I read bout Pujols and Ryan was from a reporter who had been granted club access. Ryan agreed to an interview but had to talk to with someone else with the team first. So everyone is getting dressed up and the reporter comes back over and reminds Ryan and he's like "oh that's right I'm terribly sorry, lets go ahead and do it." So they do the interview, are finishing up, and eventually AP walks in and Pujols just kind of sees Ryan not prepared at all and gives him this look and asks him if he's ready to play today.

[cardsfansince82]

That'll do, pig. That'll do.

[slide_into_first]

Albert Pujols and CJ Wilson will be introduced in front of Anaheim Stadium tomorrow at 1130 AM local time. Fans are invited.

[Slider]

Got to say I found out just how much I love cardinal baseball tradition when Pujols left. I am embarrassed to say I am struggling with him leaving. Never thought it meant that much to me. Probably time to step away from the game for awhile... A game shouldn't mean that much in the grand scheme of life. It's crazy that I have allowed Pujols decision affect my day... Not worth it.

[ghostrunner]

Anyone who's claiming it's definitively "all about the money" is reducing a complex situation to an overly simplistic one...probably because it's easier to make sense of it, and respond to it, that way.

Reducing complex situations to the essentials is the essence of explaining something. I really don't see the problem here. The (artificial) dichotomy is between loyalty to St. Louis and the Cardinals versus getting the most money (for whatever ends). Clearly, when considering these two factors, the money went farther for him. There may be plenty of other factors we don't know about, but the charity argument doesn't require we consider them. If he wanted more money to use for his charitable ends, that is still "about the money."

I'm with Easton I think. I think you misinterpreted the comment about his charities. I think I made the point earlier, and it was in response to the idea that this is simply Pujols being greedy. Also people expressing wonderment about "why is 20-30 million so important" and "how much is enough," or "what could you do with all that money" etc.... My point was that it's not necessarily personal greed, or simply accumulating wealth. I don't think it's great that Pujols gets this money as opposed to someone else, but from his perspective he's able to divert (if he wishes) that money to things that are important to him.

[Arthur Dent]

There's lots of reasons it's nice to have more money including the ability to promote charitable ends of your choosing. I'm just not buying the rather convenient rationalization that Pujols is serving the betterment of the world by demanding the highest possible pay. If that's not what Easton or you mean, fine. I'm not trying to prove particular people wrong, and I don't really understand why this got personal. If my initial comment came off like an attack, then I apologize. It was not intended as such. I thought I was just disagreeing and hoping to start a discussion on I topic I found interesting, as I've heard this sort of argument about athlete salaries a number of times.

It was kind of annoying to get a response diagnosing me with various imagined ailments like a "social thing" against rich athletes and illogical coping mechanisms. Whatever. Like I said, I'm sorry if I somehow came off as making a personal attack, and I accept Easton's comment about not meaning to be too snarky. Misunderstandings happen.

[Spider John]

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

[Maclowery]

I've shot through the shock, anger, resentment, excuse-making, and sadness parts, and am now pretty much totally fine with the whole deal. He got a terrific deal, he's not playing for a competitor, and we still have a pretty good shot at winning the Central in 2012.

If I actually owned a Pujols shirt, I'd still wear it. I will also be more inclined to roll my eyes and flick off the TV over the coming years when he misses out on a double because he was admiring a near-home-run.

Go Cardinals in 2012. And go Angels, they're a well-put-together team.

[ilstu24]

Got to say I found out just how much I love cardinal baseball tradition when Pujols left. I am embarrassed to say I am struggling with him leaving. Never thought it meant that much to me. Probably time to step away from the game for awhile... A game shouldn't mean that much in the grand scheme of life. It's crazy that I have allowed Pujols decision affect my day... Not worth it.

Sadly, this was me too. I first remember watching Cardinals games in 98 with McGwire doing his thing. I was about 10 yrs old. My last memory of him was when he got pinch hit for in that playoff series against Arizona, and that sucks for me. I wish it could be a HR or something, but thats what I remember. My most vivid memory of Albert? Its not any of the homers he's hit, or plays he's made. Its watching him, his rookie season with my dying grandpa. Esophogus cancer was killing him. He couldn't speak, was weak and had a little dry erase board and he wrote me a message on there while watching the game. He wrote, "who is this guy? Gunna be good?" Passed like a day later. For me, that's why it sucks that he's gone.

That's why I think I'm angry that he left. While its just a game, they all mean so much more to us then they will ever know they do. And they shouldn't mean that much but they become such a huge part of our lives. And then one morning you can wake up and they are gone. Just like Albert was on Thursday.

[ilstu24]

Sorry for the wishy-washy post. But its been harder on me then I ever imagined it would be. Just need to vent.