Pujols Signs With Angels

[fanforever]

After the initial depression from him leaving i'm starting to like how this played out.

Face it. The Cardinals couldn't sign Albert to that sort of deal and maintain their current level of profitiablity/competetiveness. I believe DeWitt deserves to earn money, the reports that they've made $70m over the last 5 years in profit, that's great. A baseball owner should make that sort of money, and I don't see $15m a year profit as excessive for the amount of money he risks by owning the team.

I also love seeing the Cardinals compete for the playoffs basically ever year. Having albert with a 21m a year salary would help that for the next 3-4 years, but the 6-7 years after that? No way. Especially if the Cubs ever get around to being the powerhouse team they're capable of. The Cardinals will have to use their money far better than the return on alberts final 5 years of production in order to compete with a well running Cubs team.

Albert went to basically the only major market baseball team that I can root for that doesn't often compete with St. Louis. If he'd gone to the Yankees or Red Sox i'd hate them even more, if he'd gone to the Cubs or Dodgers i'd hate them for being team rivals. The Angels allow me to cheer for Albert on another team without it affecting my loyalty to the Cardinals, and I think that's great for St. Louis fans.

It's not like Brett Hull going to the Red Wings (speaking of which Hull played 11 years in St. Louis). I think after the disappointment of Pujols leaving lessens (and especially after his performance lessens) that everyone will see this as a best possible scenario in the situation everyone was in and will be able to cherish what he gave to this team and city, rather than being upset at it.

11 amazing years, 9 playoffs runs, 3 world series, 2 championships. That's a pretty awesome run. Thanks for your part Albert.

That’s fine…but the player and his wife do not have to insult all of our intelligence on the way out. Guilty people usually are the ones that have to make excuses for their actions

[sighyoung]

Willy Loman never made a lot of money. His name was never in the paper. He's not the finest character that ever lived. But he's a human being, and a terrible thing is happening to him. So attention must be paid. He's not to be allowed to fall into his grave like an old dog. Attention, attention must finally be paid to such a person.

I think Arthur Miller would agree that Albert Pujols has a lot more leverage than Willy Loman.

[Cronos]

Albert went to basically the only major market baseball team that I can root for that doesn't often compete with St. Louis. If he'd gone to the Yankees or Red Sox i'd hate them even more, if he'd gone to the Cubs or Dodgers i'd hate them for being team rivals. The Angels allow me to cheer for Albert on another team without it affecting my loyalty to the Cardinals, and I think that's great for St. Louis fans.

This is a good point.

Eliminate teams that won't be competing for a while (Cubs, Royals, Orioles), eliminate rival teams and powerhouse NL teams, and then eliminate the Red Sox and Yankees of the world, and the Angels are pretty much the only team that he could have signed with that leaves me more "Meh" than "grrrr".

If he had signed with the Red Sox or Yankees or if he had signed with a team that isn't going to be competing anytime soon, then I would be upset over this. As it is, I'm already over it and getting excited about 2012.

[dmarx114]

I don't buy his spin at all.

1. He is the one who said he wouldn't leave over 3-4 mil a year but yet he did

2. He says it was because the Angels wanted him forever and beyond...to be part of the family and didn't get the sense that the Cards wanted that....UM Alberta, have you not paid attention to all the HOF's that are constantly brought back and treated like royalty by the FO? Open your eyes you idiot, you would have been taken care of easily, they wanted you part of the family and would role out the red carpet for you.

3. Offering someone 10/210 who will be in decline and not live up to the contract and handcuff a team for years is showing a commitment...a steep commitment.

The more he talks the more I am in agreement with MO and DeWitt.

1. He wanted a ten year deal. The Cardinals wouldn't give it and kept telling him he wasn't worth that. It just goes sour from there. It's more about people shooting down your expectations of yourself and pride than millions of dollars.

2. Other teams with great superstars have not asked their players to accept many small deals towards the end of their careers. Why would you want to play for someone who would treat you poorer than any other team? Especially after the service you've been rendering.

3. Yeah but it comes after the 5/130, which is a huge deal.

I don't know what was said at that meeting on Wednesday, but to me, that seems like it was the last straw, like they had been beating around the bush for several hours and Dewitt/Mo let some comment slip that they probably shouldn't.

I agree with everything you said.

[Faceman]

You can't say stuff like

"There will be no hometown discount"
"I want ARod Money"
"I will not negotiate in season, so you better sign me now"

And then come back and say "you wanted to feel loved". You have spent 8 years (since the 2004 deal) reminding us that this is a business. The team treated it accordingly. You don't get out of that now.

[Spider John]

The oldest freakin' sales strategy in the book and the Pujols' bought it hook line and sinker. Win them over with your charm.

I don't think the Pujols' are the brightest of bulbs.

I've considered that. I think about how I would do in their situation, with a quick talking agent with his own best interest at heart, the overwhelming national media attention that is much harsher than the local bunch, and trying to understand intricate contract details. I can see the Pujols both being in over their head, dealing with people much smarter than them, and saying all the wrong things.

[Cronos]

You have spent 8 years (since the 2004 deal) reminding us that this is a business. The team treated it accordingly. You don't get out of that now.

And bingo was his name-oh.

[Jocephus]

hah nicely done sigh

[Hungary Jack]

Wow. Bernie actually wrote a really good column in today's PD. He points out the hypocrisy of Albert's words and actions. Oh well, he's not the first, and won't be the last.

The irony is all of this is that in St. Louis dollars, the Angel deal is only worth about $127M. Albert left about $93M in COLA and tax-adjusted money on the table. He is no economist.

[Jocephus]

Wow. Bernie actually wrote a really good column in today's PD. He points out the hypocrisy of Albert's words and actions. Oh well, he's not the first, and won't be the last.

The irony is all of this is that in St. Louis dollars, the Angel deal is only worth about $127M. Albert left about $93M in COLA and tax-adjusted money on the table. He is no economist.

"deedee, it looks like we won't be able to afford that small island we all had our eyes on"