Email a copy of '2012 Contract Issues: St. Louis Cardinals' to a friend
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By Tim Dierkes | at
Email a copy of '2012 Contract Issues: St. Louis Cardinals' to a friend
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WonderboyRooney10
The Cards by far have the most complex and interesting offseason ahead of them in all of baseball.
martinfv2
This is the 24th entry in this series, and I agree. Lot of big names and important situations.
WonderboyRooney10
If you just consider Pujols, Wainwright, Carpenter and Berkman, those are 4 massive decisions with huge financial implications. And that doesnt even include a bullpen that needs a major sort out or smaller moves to fine-tune the team. Good luck Mr. Mozeliak
gunsnascar
The berkman pick up is a fantastic back up plan if albert walks. With berkman at 1st there are many other options for the cards next off season to make improvements. I see the cubs off season even more interesting though heading into 2012
WhenMattStairsIsKing
St Louis and Chicago will both have intriguing off-seasons, for sure. A lot is riding for both teams; the Cardinals with attempting to keep their role players, and Chicago with deciding what to do with all the money coming off the books.
start_wearing_purple
And there’s a good chance both will be the major players for Pujols.
WonderboyRooney10
Heres a question…with Kendry(s) Morales basically missing his 2nd season in a row, does that make the Angels a serious contender for Pujols along with the Cubs?
JBauster
Mark Trumbo thinks otherwise
WonderboyRooney10
Trumbo is barely holding his own weight in a power position though. Granted hes only a rookie but hes not exactly as highly touted as Trout.
Lunchbox45
who is?
jwsox
And any gm that would take a rookie 1st basemen over Albert needs to be fired asap. Trumbo may turn out to be great in a few years but Albert already is and the angles always have the possibility of the dh for either Albert, trumbo, or kendrys.
WhenMattStairsIsKing
Any GM that would take a rookie 1st baseman over Pujols wouldn’t be foolish at all if the prospect has a high upside – like Trumbo – and if Pujols would dampen your team’s spending power.
Yes, we all know Arte has loads of cash and has spent well in the past, but giving $200-$300 million dollars to anyone is not an obvious decision.
I can’t imagine the dominoes that have to fall in order for something like that to happen for any team.
Lunchbox45
I actually think that the cards are better off not spending 25 million a year for 10 years on Pujols.
I really hope he decreases his financial demands in order to stay with the cards. I don’t see a huge difference in 200 million to 250 million.
jwsox
Most people with half a brain agree with you. Don’t get me wrong he is the best and will continue to produce at an MVP level for years but the only way he gets 8+ years is if it’s with a AL team that can dh him eventually.
gunsnascar
I seem to remember that there was a estimate of pujols worth in a article here I think that had him proforming at the 44 mil leval last year. I could only hope that he can continue to play at that leval for another 6 years so his pay can be somewhat justified. If he does that whoever gets him could get their moneys worth outta him to some degree. I can see the cards resigning him also but it wont be comfortable as I have seen him sign for a “hometown discount” in his last contract, and now he is helping his home land heavily now. So a huge payday helps him help his fellow dominicans. Its hard to say that he doesnt deserve 30 mil per year because his preformance year in and out screams differently especially when you consider his charity work. Albert is 1 of the greatest baseball players of all time and is a generous human being so someone will give him what he needs to carry on. This is going to be the most interesting contracts that I have ever noticed. and lunchbox45 there is a huge 50 mil difference that could help his country even more than he has allready.
Redbirds16
The question isn’t whether or not he ‘deserves’ a big payday, the question is whether or not the Cardinals can afford it. Given Tim’s calculations of the salary obligations and restrictions the Cards have (assuming they don’t raise their budget), there’s no way they’ll be able to keep their current roster together for 2012.
Berkman and Pujols are due for big paydays and the Cards might not be able to afford to pay Pujols alone, much less both. If the Cards can sign Jose Reyes and Lance Berkman for the same $$ as Pujols, well… adios, mang.
I think Carp and Buerhle will be weighed against each other. Both will probably want to play in StL (slight hometown discount?), but there’s only room in the budget for 1 of them.
Josh Hoevelmann
It would be interesting to see big upgrades at SS and 2B if Pujols walks and keep Berkman. Like Reyes or Rollins at SS.
Ferrariman
Carpenter’s option will be picked, as will molina and wainwright. If pujols and berkman don’t return and theriot and schumaker are nontendered, that could be a lot of spending money after the arb raises to motte, mcclellan, raz, and garcia. Add in the fact they could/should use craig at either 1b or rf and he is controlled, this could be an interesting off season. Lots of money available.
Redbirds16
If Carp’s healthy, the Cards could float him a Westbrook like deal, dropping his 2012 salary to the 12-13 million range and adding two years plus an option third. If Carp passes, then the Cards could sign Buerhle and pick up Carp’s option with the intention of trading him to the Yanks for essentially a first round talent and salary (to come out even on the prospect front after losing their 2012 1st round pick to the ChiSox). This might save them a few million while holding even on the prospects.
Food for thought: if the Cards fail to resign any of their big names, what’s wrong with letting them go? The Cards will be getting picks from Pujols, Berkman, and likely Carpenter (I don’t think he accepts arb). That should bring in a good haul of prospects to say the least, plus the Cards would have ~$30 million to spend on rounding out the team with free agents (note: extend Rasmus!). The Cards should still be “competitive” in 2012 although probably a .500 team. But with a revamped farm, they could probably be real contenders by 2013 and certainly be the class of the division again by 2014 (and be better stocked with talent for the rest of the decade).
A lot of big decisions for the Cards coming up, but I won’t be feeling sorry for them anytime soon. They’re well positioned, regardless of the path they choose. They’ve just got to be confident in their choice and see it through.