Albert Pujols is supposedly 31. I cannot say I am positive on that because it's been said by multiple people that they do not have a real age on Albert. He is asking for 10 years 300 million dollar contract. This means that the tail end of his contract, Pujols will be in his late thrities where we have seen recently production fall off a cliff. Hmm wonder why? If you need examples look at Jim Thome, Vladamir Guerrero, and Manny Ramirez. I truly believe that the Cardinals have five, maybe six good years left in Pujols and management knows that.
They believe that Pujols will not have a typical machine-like year, and his decline is starting. Pujols has reached his peak, and is not coming back. Doug Gottlieb of ESPN Radio made a valid point about the New York Yankees never extending a player before his contract was up. If the Yankees did the same thing with Derek Jeter as the Cardinals tried with Pujols, and the Twins did with Joe Mauer, they would have severely overpaid him. Instead, Jeter had a down year and still got less than he would have coming off a World Series win. Mauer had a down year last season with only three home runs and spent a month on the disable list. Mauer might have got the same amount of money due to his defense, but who knows. Pujols had a good year like usual but why not gamble a bit?I really try to stay away from cross sports analogies, but it reminds of the Packers with Brett Favre. It's a tad different because it was over retirement, but management took the same stance. Management decided they are not going to give in to their state icon's demands.
General Manager John Mozelik and Vice President Jeff Luhnow both have an icy relationship with Pujols, people forget that.Will Leitch, a diehard Cards fan saw this coming. He acknowledges the strong relationship between La Russa and Pujols plus the bitterness towards management. Both were miffed that former General Manger, now Cincinnati GM Walt Jockety got canned. It would not shock me in the slightest if La Russa retires after this season and Albert knows that he will have no hand in selecting the next manager. In a sense when La Russa goes, the old guard officially changes and who knows if Pujols wants to be around when that comes to fruition.
Let's think hypothetically here... In October, Mozelik and Luhnow decide to offer 7 years 135 million dollars, a little over 19 million a year. Pujols likely will not take this deal and take his talents elsewhere. But here's a scary thought. The Milwaukee Brewers have a first basemen available in Prince Fielder, who is only 27. The Cards could get him for the value they wanted to pay Pujols or maybe a little less. Additionally, they can get a talented player with the extra money left over instead of selling the farm with one player who is past the age of 30.
I agree that come October if Pujols has an MVP-type year then his stock will still be at an all-time high therefore the gamble didn't work. But if he shows any signs of a fading, people will be scared to give him that Godfather offer. People have gotten too smart in baseball to allow something like that to happen. With an improving NL Central, this is the last thing the Cardinals want to start their season.
-Charlie.
