Let's knock some of the dust off this blog shall we.
#5 in the Cardinal red n' white wants a 10-year deal worth $300 mil. And I want a toilet crafted of gold and platinum. Not going to happen. Or in Pujols' case, shouldn't happen. The last I heard this man is 31 years old. Not ancient by baseball standards. But let's be honest for minute here. 31 plus 10 simply says Albert will be 41 by the time this contract would expire should the St. Louis front office sign him. This doesn't make much business since to me considering most MLB players never see their 40's while still playing the game. Whether it be kicking back in the bullpen or spitting sunflower shells from the dugout, this is an oddity. And for those who do see the golden age of their 40's and are still under contract with a franchise, they don't see playing time. So that said, the Cardinals' organization would be out of their mind to give Pujols a contract of this caliber. Even if the players union is pressuring him to raise the wage scale across the board, no one is worth that amount of money. Unless there is an unheard pitcher who tosses perfect game after perfect game or a slugger who belts homer after homer, that kind of dough handcuffs any chance of building a competitive team on the diamond.
It has been widely reported that the Cardinals have offered him an 8-year deal worth roughly $240 million, which would still provide Albert with the same $30 million per year that he is seeking. A better deal in terms of shaving off years from the contract. But not one I'd be willing to fork over as an owner. It still does not make good sports business sense to offer a contract worth this type of money that will still have a guy at age 39 when it finally expires. Why put all of your eggs in one basket? Sure he is the face of Cardinal baseball and arguably the best player in the game right now. But does that mean you pay him whatever he asks? Of course not. And if Babe Ruth were around, I doubt I would offer the Sultan of Swat the same deal.
Look, the Phillies had one of the best offseasons a club could have when they nabbed Cliff Lee from the Yankees when he was ready to bolt from the Rangers. This team now has one of the most historic rotations ever and is definitely the team to beat in all of baseball. Great pitching will always dominate great hitting. Besides the Phillies acquisitions, do you see an irreplaceable slugger on the San Francisco Giants team that won the World Series last year? I think not. By keeping the money that Albert wants safely in your pockets, you can open the door for a better pitching staff and possibly more speed on the base paths. These two aspects of the game are what will take you to the playoffs and beyond. Not some face who has had a great career with the same team since he began playing. It's a feel good story, but I don't feel good about selling the farm on one individual.
While I haven't looked at his stats, all fingers point to indications that Pujols' numbers have dipped for the third consecutive year. That coupled with the fact that he is over 30 years old might suggest he is past his prime. I'm a believer in this trend and don't think that Albert is any exception. He will more than likely smack 40+ homers this season and probably several after that, but the fact remains that he will not solely carry the Cards to a pennant championship. Those chips were cashed after the 2006 World Series. So why waste money on this guy when you simply don't have to? If he goes to the arch-rival Cubs...so what! More incentive to beat them in the future, I say. Some things never change. He is sticking to his noon deadline of Feb. 16th and I'm sticking to my decision to not offer him a contract. If he wants that type of money, why not make him earn it? "Show me the money!" On a final note, if he is signed for $30 million per year, regardless of how many years, all we will have is another A-Rod-esque situation on our hands. And we'll spend the next 10-20 years correcting it and rebuilding because we have no money to spend. That, my friends, spells bottom feeders of the National League for many years to come.