Pujols

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gregburbidge
do0shebag55
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LordFa9

[piperspitt]

I don't get it. 220 million is plenty wherever you go, so why leave the town that you are king of? Two titles, sold out games, and the status of a king. He had a chance to be legendary, switching teams doesn't kill that, but it lessens the status. If it was the weather, Miami should have been perfect. Continue the assault on the NL records and usher in a new stadium while becoming the most iconic Marlin ever.
  What do the Angels have to offer? Designated Hitter, check. What if the DH disappears or goes to both leagues as a result of the Astros switching to the American League. Great fans, but St Louis had that. An old stadium. One world series title, less than Miami as well as St Louis. He must be a huge fan of Magic Mountain because that's all I got. I'm sure more details will come out today or tomorrow, but for now I'm stumped.

[do0shebag55]

Sometimes J, its being wanted...  The Cardinals have had the "home town" discount for the entirety of his time in St. Louis and I'd at least want to be compensated properly were I in Pujols situation. I work with several die-hard Cards fans amazingly enough, and according to them St. Louis' initial contract offer before last season would've only put Pujols as the 4th highest 1st baseman in MLB. Couldn't the Cards at least offered him $27-28 million per year over lesser years like 7 or so?

If the Cardinals  didn't at least acknowledge his value to their org and at least tried to say something along the lines of "I understand you're the greatest 1st baseman of all time and we want to pay you accordingly for what you've done for the organization. We can't offer you a 10 year albatross deal that would cripple our organization but we'd still want to give you a deal that shows how important you are to us. How about this offer of $27million per year over 7, making you the highest paid player per year. Then after that we can give you a grandfathered 3 year deal so that you can ride out in to the sunset as a Cardinal." I guarantee you he would've signed that. The Cardinals lowballed him before and if they had done something like this, I bet he probably would've stayed. The way i've been presented this by Cards fans, this kind of contract would've been ideal and Pujols probably ceased negotiations once the season started because he was offended by the lowball deal the Cards offered him at the beginning of the season.

[piperspitt]

It still doesn't make sense to me. What they offered him a year ago should have no effect on what they offer him today. There has to be more to it. Other issues with ownership or management have to play into this. Pujols is a relatively quiet guy so we may never know the whole story. While I am a Cardinal hater, I still feel really bad for what the city of St Louis has lost. Still, why the Angels over the Marlins?

[BigPimpin]

Still, why the Angels over the Marlins?

That one I can answer...the Angels gave him a full no-trade, while the Marlins would not.

[piperspitt]

Yeah, I guess but it seems silly when we all know that Rodriguez had a no trade clause when he signed with Texas and that a no trade automatically would kick in at the five year mark before anyone would trade Pujols anyway. I'd hate to be Kendrys Morales and Mark Trumbo right now.

[BigPimpin]

Yeah, I guess but it seems silly when we all know that Rodriguez had a no trade clause when he signed with Texas and that a no trade automatically would kick in at the five year mark before anyone would trade Pujols anyway. I'd hate to be Kendrys Morales and Mark Trumbo right now.

 

There's a lot of WTF going on this offseason.  Not only Pujols being signed to HUGE money by a team that already has two good 1B's and needs elsewhere, but moreso the Marlins and the Reyes/Ramirez situation, where neither Hanley nor Jose will move out of SS in Miami.

[piperspitt]

Add the Mariners to that for targeting Fielder. They traded Cliff Lee to get their future 1B in Justin Smoak. Are they really giving up after one year?

[JDub]

It still doesn't make sense to me. What they offered him a year ago should have no effect on what they offer him today. There has to be more to it. Other issues with ownership or management have to play into this. Pujols is a relatively quiet guy so we may never know the whole story. While I am a Cardinal hater, I still feel really bad for what the city of St Louis has lost. Still, why the Angels over the Marlins?

Weaker division, DH, maybe he liked the management better/didn't want to play for Ozzie? Maybe he didn't want to wear those ugly uniforms or this to be associated with when he hits a HR.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZch2jIMVtk

[piperspitt]

I think you called it right with the uniforms. Man those are bad.

[Queensryche]

Sometimes J, its being wanted...  The Cardinals have had the "home town" discount for the entirety of his time in St. Louis and I'd at least want to be compensated properly were I in Pujols situation. I work with several die-hard Cards fans amazingly enough, and according to them St. Louis' initial contract offer before last season would've only put Pujols as the 4th highest 1st baseman in MLB. Couldn't the Cards at least offered him $27-28 million per year over lesser years like 7 or so?

If the Cardinals  didn't at least acknowledge his value to their org and at least tried to say something along the lines of "I understand you're the greatest 1st baseman of all time and we want to pay you accordingly for what you've done for the organization. We can't offer you a 10 year albatross deal that would cripple our organization but we'd still want to give you a deal that shows how important you are to us. How about this offer of $27million per year over 7, making you the highest paid player per year. Then after that we can give you a grandfathered 3 year deal so that you can ride out in to the sunset as a Cardinal." I guarantee you he would've signed that. The Cardinals lowballed him before and if they had done something like this, I bet he probably would've stayed. The way i've been presented this by Cards fans, this kind of contract would've been ideal and Pujols probably ceased negotiations once the season started because he was offended by the lowball deal the Cards offered him at the beginning of the season.

This.

The way this went, the Cardinals deserved to lose Pujols. And by "Cardinals", I don't mean the fans or the city of St. Louis. I mean the front office and ownership who first were stupid enough to allow even the possibility of him hitting free agency, THEN were stupid enough to not break the bank for him.

In an ideal world, no one player would be above the team. But this isn't an ideal world, and Pujols is above the Cardinals. He WAS the Cardinals. He's the greatest player of this generation, and was a legitimate challenger to Stan Musial's "Greatest Cardinal" title. You don't let someone with that stature hit free agency! You break the bank for him! The Cardinal front office chose (incredibly stupid) "principles" over keeping the greatest player of this generation. It's not like they'll never see the money again. They would've made the money back that they paid him EASILY! Especially with the very real chance that he becomes the new all-time HR king.

Cardinals fans should be demanding their team's front office explain how it could've gotten to this point. And the front office should admit they eff'd up.

[piperspitt]

They offered to break the bank for him, that's why it had to be something else. There is no question in my mind that he didn't leave for more money. He was Mr. St. Louis, heck maybe Mr. Missouri. He can never be Mr. Los Angeles. He was one of the unique individuals that would draw more endorsement dollars in a smaller market.

[Jokerfish]

I don't know, Dodgers don't have anyone major right Pujols would be the second biggest athlete behind Kobe in Ca/ Los Angeles I think he would be fine.
As far as him leaving for the cardnals. it seams like the offer the cardnals offered him was not nearly as big as what the angels gave him from a money stand point nor was it that much more then what they initially offered him. So from  a monetary view(Most athletes are more about the paycheck then the anything else) you can't turn down that kind of money
competitive wise angels are contenders for at least the next 3-5 years so that is not a bad place to land if you were to leave for another team.
the tough part is the emotional factor and I would say it seems like neither side handled it correctly.

[Queensryche]

They offered to break the bank for him, that's why it had to be something else. There is no question in my mind that he didn't leave for more money. He was Mr. St. Louis, heck maybe Mr. Missouri. He can never be Mr. Los Angeles. He was one of the unique individuals that would draw more endorsement dollars in a smaller market.

Considering the Cardinals' offer was worth less money per year than what Ryan Howard will get, I hardly consider it breaking the bank.

[piperspitt]

Justin- what I meant by not being Mr. LA is that he has to compete with Hollywood, the ocean, and the social of LA that doesn't revolve around sports. St Louis doesn't have that type of competition.

Queeny- if you don't think $220 million is breaking the bank we can't even have a conversation about this.

[Queensryche]

Justin- what I meant by not being Mr. LA is that he has to compete with Hollywood, the ocean, and the social of LA that doesn't revolve around sports. St Louis doesn't have that type of competition.

Queeny- if you don't think $220 million is breaking the bank we can't even have a conversation about this.

Where did you get that figure?

My understanding is that the highest the Cardinals offered him was 6 years, $130 million. And I certainly don't consider that breaking the bank. If I was Pujols and was being offered that, I'd be more than insulted.

[piperspitt]

An article on MLB.com had the offer listed as 10 years $220million. Very similar to the Miami offer.

[Queensryche]

An article on MLB.com had the offer listed as 10 years $220million. Very similar to the Miami offer.

This is the first I've heard of that kind of offer. I didn't see anything like that listed anywhere else.

[cfones]

It was also reported by ESPN while Miami was still in discussions then the report was 9 years at 200 million. The agent stated that reports where futher off then reported. Still 10 years 254 million is a bad contract for any player over 30 years of age. I think that with how quick he was to take the deal that he really wanted the money that the angels offered, as he has won his ring and now he gets the payday. I make you wonder if the cardinals wanted to get out from under paying around 1/3 of there payroll to one player no matter who it is. Still will be intresting to see how he dose switching from the NL to the AL, any one remember juniors move from the mariners to the reds.

[cfones]

From a interview from Pujols wife state that the first offer form the card's was 5 years 130 million the last offer 10 years $210 million, with $30 million deferred.

Also the angels conctract has a 10 year personal services deal involved with it as well.

[do0shebag55]

Diedre's wife quote from the following site

http://tracking.si.com/2011/12/13/diedre-pujols-wife-of-albert-explains-reason-for-departure/

She explained that he would have stayed in St. Louis, had they offered him a contract similar to what the Angels did. He felt slighted, she said, when the team offered him only a five-year deal.

“The offer that people have seen on television I want to tell you what, listeners especially, had that offer been given to us with a guarantee, we would have the (Cardinals) bird on our back,” Diedre Pujols said, according to ESPN.com.

Marriage is a three ring circus: engagement ring, wedding ring, and suffering.