Pujols to Announce New Contract with Cards on Friday?

[cardsfan04]

I heard this rumor at work today and then heard it was actually on somebody's twitter account. And, since twitter is always accurate, it must be true:

http://twitter.com/#!/stljccorcoran

stljccorcoran jc
Albert to announce on Friday he's re-signing with the Cardinals.

stljccorcoran jc
Despite official denials I have no reason to amend the Pujols story. I believe it to be accurate.

stljccorcoran jc
New info. We believe Albert will announce Friday morning followed immediately by a vacation to Hawaii.

[abc789987]

[DaDitka]

Moe has come out and said this couldn't be further from the truth. He will meet with Albert's agent this weekend to get a feel for where they stand and what they have been hearing from other clubs.

At least that's his public stance.

Besides, if the contract is for a penny more then 25 a year or any longer then 6 or 7 years, I would view the signing as a BAD thing.

They are more then welcome to dress it up with funny money, but I'm talking nuts and bolts.

[DaDitka]

I just now realized who's Twitter account that is....


If I would have noticed that to begin with I wouldn't have wasted my time typing the previous response.

[cardsfan04]

I don't know anything about the guy who posted it other than he works for KTRS.

I doubt it's true cuz it makes no sense to test free agency only to sign super quick with the Cards (unless they overwhelm him, god help us). But, Mo's denial means less than nothing. He denies EVERYTHING until they announce it. I don't blame him for it, but it also makes his public denials meaningless.

I think 7 years/$25 mil is in the neighborhood of both perfect and fair. However, I think there's a grey area where it's better to give him a less than ideal contract than to let him walk.

[DaDitka]

However, I think there's a grey area where it's better to give him a less than ideal contract than to let him walk.

I can't truly comment on that because I don't know how that will effect the rest of the clubs spending.

You already have some bats under contract and if it's going to cost you to be greatly shorthanded in other aspects (pitching and defense) then I'm against it. Actually right now I believe signing an great defensive shortstop that can be a quality lead of hitter will win you more games then Albert (based on the other pieces you already have).

However, if ownership is telling the truth that Albert's contract would in essence 'separate' from the budgeted payroll...then by all means, it's not my money, give it to him.

[cardsfan04]

I pretty much agree with everything you said, especially for 2012. Assuming Berkman is solid again (not a given since he's not getting younger though), Berkman at 1B, Craig in RF and a notable FA signing elsewhere makes us better than Pujols at 1B, Berkman in RF, and Craig on the bench. But, that's also just a 2012 fix and there aren't many notable FA's this year.

The 3 FA SS's are Furcal, Rollins and Reyes. Reyes is the best, but he's super expensive and injury prone. Rollins is EXTREMELY overrated. He's not terrible, but he won't be worth $8.5 mil (which is how much I heard he might get). With or without Pujols, I think I'd like Furcal back for $5 mil or so and maybe some incentives for staying healthy.

Kelly Johnson is the biggest name 2B on the market and I'm not awed by him much. I'd rather put the money to another position and wait for Kulten Wong.

I could see an upgrade in CF, but Coco Crisp and Grady Sizemore seem to be the best available and I'm not real excited about either of them. Sizemore maybe, but he's played something like 108 games in the last 2 seasons, combined.

There's always the idea of getting a few stop gaps and making a splash after next season. But, given the age of Carpenter and Berkman (and how difficult they will be to instantly replace), 2012 could be our best chance to win in the near future. So, I'd rather not wait a year to get a noteworthy FA.

[glen a richter]

Looks more like Pujols will announce his new contract with the Marlins tomorrow.

My question is: When the feds finish their investigation of Loria and he finds himself in federal pound you in the ass prison, what will happen to Reyes, Pujols and Bell?

[cardsfan04]

This whole thing makes me sick. I mean, I don't want the Cards to give him an albatross of a deal. But, I don't want him to go to the Marlins either.

And, it's going to be hilarious if Loria ends up in hot water over the deal and they have to dismantle to the team. I don't know hardly anything at all about the SEC investigation, but it's a kind of fun hidden subplot to this.

[glen a richter]

Any contract with the Marlins has to include a clause that if the owner ends up behind bars, the contract is void and the player is a free agent.

[cardsfan04]

Apparently Cards have offered a 10 year deal now too. I don't like the 10 years part, but I guess at least we're trying to keep him here. This whole thing has me sick now.

[DaDitka]

Apparently Cards have offered a 10 year deal now too. I don't like the 10 years part, but I guess at least we're trying to keep him here. This whole thing has me sick now.

Yes, but the deal is so back loaded it's really a 20 years deal...or at least that's how long they will be paying him.

There's a lot of speculation out there that it was a 'save face move' because they don't believe Albert will accept that much differed, but that is complete speculation on their part.

[DaDitka]

Now they are saying we upped our offer to 220 mill and they 'think' he'll stay....


Can we just get this over with today one way or the other please?!?!?!

[dmiles2186]

Ohhhh man....I do not like seeing the Cardinals offer Pujols those numbers. Sheesh.

I was fully okay with him leaving for the Marlins for the 10 year, 220 million dollar deal they reportedly offered him.

Pujols is in a no-win situation here with fans, at least. He leaves for the Marlins, it will take Cards fans a long time to forgive him. His jersey may or may not go up at Busch when he's done, etc. If he does sign with the Cardinals, everything he does will be under a microscope and when we used to marvel at him for everything, no he'll be scrutinized to the max because of the money he's making (think Matt Holliday).

In all honesty, the Cardinals got Pujols at a bargain level in 2004. 7 years, 100 mil for his talent? He deserves to get paid (not that 100 mil isn't getting paid), I don't blame him for following the money.

[DaDitka]

I don't blame him for following the money.

I don't blame him at all either, I just hope he's cashing those checks in Florida.

That contract would have HUGE ramifications over then foreseeable future. We'll be going on the cheap at every turn.

Tyler Green at SS will be just the start. That money will be differed as well so when Puma leaves, that money will go to Albert's contract, they are unlikely to reinvest that in replacement players. What if you expend all that money and then realize halfway though the year that Jay isn't going to cut it in center field? Too bad....there is no money there to address the problem....not just this year, but for a long long time.

Please, Please let him walk!!!!!!!!!

[DaDitka]

TheFakeESPN The Fake ESPN
Marlins clarify their offer is actually in Pujols-years, so it's really a 14-year deal, not 10.

[cardsfan04]

lol at Pujols Years. That's pretty funny.

I have very mixed feelings on this, but we'll see. The one comforting thing about it is that I heard they are willing to increase payroll for Pujols. So, it sounds like they have their payroll at $110 mil or so. But, if Pujols signs, they'll up it to $120 or whatever his raise is. If he doesn't sign, they'll reinvest the $15 mil he's making to keep it at ~$110. If the increase isn't exactly coming out of the budget, I guess I'm OK with it.

[DaDitka]

lol at Pujols Years. That's pretty funny.

I have very mixed feelings on this, but we'll see. The one comforting thing about it is that I heard they are willing to increase payroll for Pujols. So, it sounds like they have their payroll at $110 mil or so. But, if Pujols signs, they'll up it to $120 or whatever his raise is. If he doesn't sign, they'll reinvest the $15 mil he's making to keep it at ~$110. If the increase isn't exactly coming out of the budget, I guess I'm OK with it.

There is a BIG problem with everyone's 'simple math' right now. They are going to structure that deal so that the annual pay increases each year. So even if a 'portion' of his contract value in not impacting the payroll completely, that impact will actually increase as his play decreases.

Look at it this way......They are willing to go an additional 5 mill a year now while his salary is say 2o mill that's great, but what about 6 or 7 years from now when he's making 25, 28, or even 30 mill (depending on how it's structured)?

For instance,they will probably structure the deal so that it's back loaded (of course). But what that means is when say Holiday comes off the book, that money is ALREADY spent as it's figured into Albert's pay.

Even if he was 5 years younger, I'd be uncomfortable with a 10 year deal. If it is in fact shorter, and depending on how it's structured...I think it would be neat to see him play his entire career here.

[cardsfan04]

Kurkjian said he's heard 9 years, slightly over $200 mil. If true, the Cards basically upped their offer by a couple mil and no extra years.

The other thing people are forgetting is that $22 mil now will be the equivalent of $37 mil 10 years from now if inflation stays the same. I didn't verify that, but it came from somebody w/ credibility.

Where are you hearing that it will be backloaded? That's certainly possible and has crossed my mind. But, I haven't seen that anywhere.

[DaDitka]

Where are you hearing that it will be backloaded? That's certainly possible and has crossed my mind. But, I haven't seen that anywhere.

Joe Strauss stated that the original deal was extremely backloaded and assumed this would be the same. Again they want to try and push as much possible past the Puma contract, Carp, and then eventually Holiday.

They also expect additional revenue in those latter years as Albert looks to hit prestigious landmarks.