In a chat with readers today, Joe Strauss of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch said that the Cardinals are currently negotiating with Albert Pujols about a contract extension, though the team won't acknowledge the talks.
Pujols is under contract for $16MM in 2010, and the team holds a no-brainer option worth the same amount for 2011. He has previously stated that he wanted to see how the front office was going to build the team around him before beginning talks, though I'm guessing that giving $120MM to Matt Holliday confirms the club's desire to remain competitive for the long haul.
The National League's two-time defending MVP just turned 30-years-old last month, and you can be sure he and his agent will be looking for something similar to the ten-year, $275MM contract Alex Rodriguez received when he was 32. Pujols' career 172 OPS+ is tied for sixth best all-time with Mickey Mantle, and he's still got plenty of time to improve on that mark.
10/275? I can see maybe 10/300-350. Which is an average of $30-$35 million per year. You never know, he might reach $400 million.
Has to be more than that because they are trying to beat A-Rod’s contract. (Pujols and his people that is). 10 yrs/300 Million.
He might take a hometown discount, so he can go down to $200-$250 million. You also got to remember is he’s not greedy like A-Rod, so he might take a lower salary to help the Cards sign good players.
Well of course, but I don’t think $200 Million. I’d say starting at $300 Million, Pujols could drag it down to 270. Maybe a 5% discount. but hey, the guy deserves his money and as I said below, he is devoted to the game, I think at the very least he will make it simple on J-Moz.
and one big thing everybody has to remember,
He doesn’t have Boras as his agent!
His hometown discount would be signing for the 10 yrs/$275 million that A-Rod signed. I can’t see him signing anything less than 10 yrs/$300 million.
Completely agree. The guy deserves his money.
It’s funny how we’re throwing millions around like it is nothing. But yeah, I agree that he deserves a huge contract for his enormous production.
Good luck with that.
Good luck with that.
Arod was overpaid.. Which means he doesnt deserve 275million. But that would be a good number for albert.
I just Got a feeling they will wait to see how mauer’s contract ends up though
Well I agree, and whether A-Rod was overpaid or not, It was still signed and Pujols obviouslly feels he deserves more.
Just remember everybody and Ferrariman as well, Pujols likes St. Louis. He’s not willing to take a home town discount of any drastic amount but he will make it easier for the St. Louis management. With his devotion to the game of Baseball, I think they will be able to work something out and if they do, 70% of their payroll will be of two players. If they can’t work something out, Maybe a Matt Holliday trade after the 2011 season? I don’t know but we are talking about the best player in Baseball.
What math are you using? A 100mill payroll.. Even if AP breaks the bank and gets 35mil+holliday’s 15( 2mil deferred).. That makes for less than 70%.. much less
sorry man, My math was a bit off there.
Only a bit.. Just a bit to put in a halladay/tex/miguel cabrera contract LOL. Big jump from sub 50% to 70%
Holliday has full no-trade, he’s not going anywhere
I completely agree. Pujols may very well “deserve” to make more than A-Rod, but A-Rod’s contract was a massive failure with the Rangers. After all, if A-Rod’s contract was such a wonderful deal, why would the Rangers willingly agree to eat 67 million to get out from under it?
Sorry, I see the reference was to A-Rod’s Yankees deal. Well, for what it’s worth, I’d say the steroids revelation makes that one ridiculous and quite regrettable, as well.
Yeah. Thats why I think the Matt Holliday contract was trouble. It’s the new A-Rod with the Rangers contract as you said.
Ur off by about 130 million.. LOL
Well, okay haha you got me. But think about it, The amount of money owed to two players…Geez.
It’s kind of obvious that Mauer will get a 7-10/140-200 contract, and Pujols will make a lot more than that if he turns A-Rod greedy, or should say, Boras greedy, and yes, I already know that Boras didn’t get A-Rod that contract.
This would be a near gurantee the cards win the division for atleast 3+years…
If Pujols beats Rodriguez’s AAV, he’s going to earn about 1/3 of the Cardinals’ annual payroll. It might just possibly be a little bit difficult to build a consistent winner around that kind of salary burden. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but it would make me pretty nervous.
It wouldn’t be 1/3… It would be less than 1/4.. Pujols+holliday will be a hair under 50%
That much payroll into just two players is a very risky situation. Their defensive positions aren’t the most important ones on the field so it’s not like you’re paying that much for offense and a solid up the middle defense. All that for offense. What happens when Carpenter wants his share and Wainwright(sp?)? A baseball team is 25 players all need to be quality. Unless the Cardinals have some great young CHEAP talent coming up in the next couple years after these contracts take flight I don’t see how they field a team with so much invested into two players. You have to have a solid rotation which gets very costly, bullpen, and defense to be a complete team. I don’t see them being able to afford it all unless they up their team payroll to 120mil
Carp is locked up till he is 36. How hard will it be to resign a 36year old injury prone pitcher? The money that comes off from carp goes to wainwright ( which I should mention he is locked up till he is 33)
Depends if Carp returns to being injury prone or keeps pitching like he did in 09 and how many years more are they both locked up for? I don’t know their current ages
carp for three, and 4 cheap cheap years of wainright left, i do however see your concern in that much money between two players at 1b and lf.
and yes they’re relying heavily on carpenter being on his game, or that rotation becomes very weak and shallow.
Can’t the same be said about any team losing their ace? Just FYI: they didn’t have carp all of 08 and finished over .500 ( 84-78) and they didn’t have him for 2 months of 09 ( 28/35 possible starts)
Waino till 2011 with 2 club options. Carp till 2012 with 1 club option and I think a vesting option
Not too bad outlook on those 2 then. I’m a Reds fan so personally I would like to see Pujols either leave for more money or squeeze the Cards for every dime he would get somewhere else just so we would have a better chance haha. But greed is such a big part of baseball these days and I think Pujols is the rare exception so I don’t see him doing anything to hurt their chances of being able to put a complete roster together
So Pujols and Holliday will be paid the same annually?
Currently:yes
New contract:no
Gotcha.
Holliday will make $1 million more right now (before the $2 million a year deferred)
Currently:
AP: $16m
MH: $17M
Unfortunately, it is a fairly likely scenario.
And to those who replied to this stating the cost of Pujols + Holliday – dont forget that the two will make less then Soriano + Zambrano at least the next 2 seasons.
I hate you Hendry 🙁
Pujols has said that he wants to be a Musial-like player, he loves Stl, we love him even more, the front office has shown their commitment to winning, and he’s close to KC… I can’t imagine him wearing anything else than the birds on the bat.
I can picture the royals uniform sense he grew up a royal/cardinal fan… But that wouldn’t make sense with billy butler already their
1: it’s since not sense, 2: it’s there not their 3: the Royals aren’t a winning team, which Pujols has said over and over he wants.
4. The Royals would never spend that much on one player. 5. Billy Butler?? Really?? Did you just use Billy Butler and he great Albert Pujols in the same sentence? Dude dont insult AP, The Cardinals, and all of the people who ever picked up a baseball glove again like that plz. yea it wouldn’t make sence, the great Billy Butler is patrolling that position. No room for some Albert Pujols guy.
Agreed, There aren’t many Major League Baseball players who are devoted more to the game of Baseball than Pujols. I expect he will make it easy on the management but no drastic home town discounts.
While I think it’s a good idea to thow a ton of money at Pujols, and Holliday, they better start overslotting pitching or do alot of international signings because it will be needed badly down the road.
Or just wait till 2012 when the new stadium and parking is payed off and just increase payroll by 10-15Mil…
i agree completely bbxxj.
ferrariman, the list of reasons kc wouldn’t sign pujols does not include billy butler until page 18.
i don’t know, most people in st. louis feel pretty confident he wont ask for 300 million. i think annually around 25 would not be shockingly low. i obviously don’t care, i would just tell another player in the clubhouse to go home the more he asks for. and its for that reason, he’s not going to ask for 300 million. the town loves him, the team is built around him, he sees it as HIS team 100% and i doubt he hurts his team by asking for that much. you can say that is naive and he’s like everyone else. but we’ll see.
I’d love it they went with $275,000,001 just to prove he is better than A-Rod. Pujols deserves $320 million over 10 years, and even that is less than his Fangraphs value the past 3 years in terms of annual salary. Albert wants to win though in my opinion, and assuming he stays in St. Louis I’d expect $280/10 tops. If he decides to go to say Boston, $350 over 10 years.
In my honest opinion I don’t think players should get paid that much. The A-Rod contract is just out of control and people willing to pay that price are ridiculous. Pujols deserve to be one of the highest paid but really think about it. 10yr/300mil?? That is insane. If I’m Pujols and I am legit happy in St. Louis and I want a winner around me I’d be willing to take 10yr/250mil. The less they spend on Pujols, the higher their ability to build a winner around him. Personally once you get to making 15-20 mil a year how can you possibly spend that much in a lifetime? What’s the difference between 20mil a year and 30mil? Dumb obvious answer is 10mil but how can somebody in their right mind spend that amount of money in a lifetime? He is already filthy rich and only getting richer on interest. If I was him I’d eat the ego and settle for more like 10yr/200mil. I wouldn’t be able to spend 200mil in a life plus all the money he has already been paid.
Brian, I completely 100% agree with everything you said. The fact of the matter is he is not going to sign for less the the A-Rod due to his agent who will scrunge every dollar possible because of his 3%.
That agent better be counting his blessings… 3% of 275mil=8.25 mil just for working the contract. He doesn’t even have to go out there and perform.
Again I agree, but that is standard compensation. Although the requirements for an agent are more so than one might imagine.
Though if Pujols were going to just settle on 275m + 1 dollar, would he really need an agent? If the man went to the front office and was like “I want 275,000,001 dollars, spread over 10 years and only 3 million of that deferred annually, plus all the perks I currently have + a few more + a no trade clause.” I mean… you might need a lawyer and/or an accountant to check that out, but if that is your negotiating position I’m not sure where the agent is earning his 8 million. Always seems a little funny, in my opinion. What is there to negotiate when you’re entering the negotiations already looking to give a hometown discount? Is STL going to be like “No, 275m is way too high. We can’t possibly accept your ultimatum.” Riiiiiiight.
Though if Pujols were going to just settle on 275m + 1 dollar, would he really need an agent? If the man went to the front office and was like “I want 275,000,001 dollars, spread over 10 years and only 3 million of that deferred annually, plus all the perks I currently have + a few more + a no trade clause.” I mean… you might need a lawyer and/or an accountant to check that out, but if that is your negotiating position I’m not sure where the agent is earning his 8 million. Always seems a little funny, in my opinion. What is there to negotiate when you’re entering the negotiations already looking to give a hometown discount? Is STL going to be like “No, 275m is way too high. We can’t possibly accept your ultimatum.” Riiiiiiight.
way to miss the boat, minaya. right?
How did Minaya miss the boat? AP has never reached free agency. And to talk about drafting AP, EVERY GM missed on AP numerous times in the draft.
i could explain this to you, but this link probably does a better job:
I’m just guessing as a Cardinals fan and what I’ve been hearing the last few years. 8-10 years at 25-28 with 5 million deferred annually.
The Rangers tied up an exorbitant amount of money years ago by buying the best player in the game (A-Rod), and they were unable to surround him with anything but garbage. They didn’t win because A-Rod was only going to bat 4, maybe 5 times per game at most. They could only move on when they dumped him.
If the Cardinals are going to do something similar with Pujols, then they’d better make darn sure they can afford to sign/retain good players to play with him–or they’ll end up either losing with a cranky Albert, or, more likely, selling him off to a team that can afford such a contract (read: Yankees). Especially with the Holliday contract tying them up now, they’d better not put all their eggs in those two baskets.
having pujols and holliday for 7 years a piece would sure make me more confident as a gm/owner in handing out contracts to that supporting talent that may push the payroll higher than had been previously allowed/felt comfortable with.
cards have been a little bit stingy with their budget in the past, but i can hope right?
good point, kevmill21. A lineup with Pujols/Holliday long-term (assuming Holliday doesn’t revert to his Oakland self) is pretty sexy if you’re a hitter. Who wouldn’t want to bat in front of or after those guys.
I hope, for the sake of the Cardinals and baseball in general, that Pujols goes about this extension in a Roy Halladay sort of way. Not looking to set any records, just make a good wage.
I think if they go out to 10 yrs then the Cards won’t go above $250mil and make the contract backloaded so the later years Alberts yearly salary will be higher than Arod but I think they will try to go 8/220. I don’t think Albert is going to demand OVER 30mil and this market is much different than when ARod signed. AP is the one player that could definitly get paid 30+ on the open market but he isn’t going to demand more than 30 from the Cards, I think he just wants to be in the 27.5 range. People kept saying Mauer was going to get 30+ and now it looks like it’s not even going to be close to that
Offer him a reasonable working contract and a percentage ownership upon retirement.
The concept of the Magic Johnson contract is great, but Cardinal ownership won’t go for it. They will give up their money for him, but not their blood!
I guess in the scheme of things this doesn’t matter much, but Kyle Lohse’s contract is just so excessive at 4 year/$41million. That might expire before Pujols can even be a FA, but it is scary having so much of your salary tied to 2 players for such a long period of time.
this is just what the sport of baseball needs! Mauer to stay in Minnesota long term & Pujols to stay in St. Louis long term!
I think Pujols gets a bigger contract than A-Rod, even if he’d probably consider less. First, his agent isn’t going to want him to take less than A-Rod (he is, after all, the best player in baseball, so he should be the highest paid), and the Cardinals are going to want to give him the credit he deserves. However, I think that the contract is structured similar to Holliday’s deal – quite a bit of deferred money, so they end up paying out less of the budget to do it. I’d imagine somewhere around 10/$300, with $5 mil or so deferred each year.
Pujol’s agent is not Scott Boras. He will see that Pujols will love to stay and sign a contract for under that much.
It is the player who decides what he accepts. The agent takes care of the negotiations, but it is the player who says yes or no. Boras is vilified but he is just doing his job, The owners all have the final choice to sign a player or not. A-Rod,
Puljos any of the other super stars get $20 to 30 million a year because the team owner makes a profit on them. It is star power that puts butts in seats, and it is the same star power that sells $30.00 to $60.00 parking, $10.00 limp hot dogs warm beer and soft drinks.
So why do Boras go to New York or Boston to raise the person’s money? The agent will also determine of where a player goes. I bet if a player like AROD do not get what he want from NYY, he will continue to get Boras to fight to stay in NYY, because not another market can afford of what his agent want. The agent makes the billing. The player will sign for money, but if the player want to stay with the current team, the agent will fight for every dollar for the player.
So why do Boras go to New York or Boston to raise the person’s money? The agent will also determine of where a player goes. I bet if a player like AROD do not get what he want from NYY, he will continue to get Boras to fight to stay in NYY, because not another market can afford of what his agent want. The agent makes the billing. The player will sign for money, but if the player want to stay with the current team, the agent will fight for every dollar for the player.
It is the player who decides what he accepts. The agent takes care of the negotiations, but it is the player who says yes or no. Boras is vilified but he is just doing his job, The owners all have the final choice to sign a player or not. A-Rod,
Puljos any of the other super stars get $20 to 30 million a year because the team owner makes a profit on them. It is star power that puts butts in seats, and it is the same star power that sells $30.00 to $60.00 parking, $10.00 limp hot dogs warm beer and soft drinks.
Not sure if I understand how A-Rod is greedy. Let me see if I understand this. You must be greedy because you are the highest paid player is the game. Am i doing it right?
Aren’t you worth what someone is willing to pay you?
I think when everyone knew ARod was greedy and took it too far was when he opted out of a 10yr/252mil contract. I understand why he did it wanting to cash in one last time while he was still relatively young but when you opt out of the biggest contract ever by FAR to get a bigger one then you’re pretty darn greedy IMO. If he didn’t opt out of that contract people wouldn’t think as bad of him or atleast I wouldn’t
So anyone that has ever opted out of a contract is greedy? Am I using your logic correctly? And you think badly of him because he is making more money as opposed to the owners making money? Multi-millionaire making more is bad but a Multi-billionaire make more is good?
No I’m saying when you’re ALREADY the highest paid player by far and no one has even got a contract anywhere close to yours ever then you opt out to get even more then it makes you look greedy in most peoples eyes. It would be a lot different if someone got more than him and that was the reason he opted out so he was still the highest paid player however no one even came close to taking that crown from him
I don’t much care for A-Rod, but I don’t think he opted out for the money. I think he wanted the extra years guaranteed. He replaced a deal where he only had four years remaining with a brand new 10 year deal. I think the extra money was more Boras than ARod.
And by the way not many owners are Multi-billionaires and the ones that are, aren’t from baseball. I understand your point but you’re overexagerating it a bit you think. I don’t think many Yankees are getting cheated financially
Actually yes, that’s pretty much the textbook definition of greedy.
There’s a point where more money isn’t going to make you happier. When you say “this amount of outrageous money isn’t enough, I need something even more absurd!” that’s greedy.
This isn’t saying the owners aren’t greedy too, but it’s not an excuse for a player to have that sort of attitude.
Actually yes, that’s pretty much the textbook definition of greedy.
There’s a point where more money isn’t going to make you happier. When you say “this amount of outrageous money isn’t enough, I need something even more absurd!” that’s greedy.
This isn’t saying the owners aren’t greedy too, but it’s not an excuse for a player to have that sort of attitude.
The yankees would not sign to lose money. So yes he is worth every cent.
The yankees would not sign to lose money. So yes he is worth every cent.
I imagine I will be in the extreme minority here, but I think the two sides will be talking about shorter, less expensive deals then everyone is talking here. Honestly, I wouldnt be shocked to hear something even as low as maybe 5 years and 125 Million with a couple mutual options.
I’m pretty much in the middle between what you think and everyone else. I think 8/220 will be around the final number however the only thing that makes me think otherwise is how the Cards have said they want to make him a Cardinal for life w/ this contract so they might go out to 10yrs but if they do, you can count on it not being for 30+ per season. People kept saying Mauer would get 30+ and King Felix would be the first 200mil pitcher and now it’s looking like niether will be getting close to those figures.
“the only thing that makes me think otherwise is how the Cards have said they want to make him a Cardinal for life w/ this contract so they might go out to 10yrs”
But dont forget they already have him under contract for 2 seasons. Its its 5 years on top of the two with maybe 2 years worth of mutual options, that is another 9 years of control – he wouldnt hit FA till his age 39 season (or both parties turned down an option in the age 37-38 seasons).
Albert has said 8 million times that he doesn’t want to hamstring the team…and he really doesnt seem like the kind of guy that’s going to play forever…he’s very familycentric
Does anyone think they might creative with the deal and do like 4mil/year deferred with partial ownership of the organization? That could work well for both parties- AP gets his payday and the cards still get enough payroll room to make excuses for not raising payroll..err I mean stay competitive
Puljos is the one holding the aces in the deal, he is hall of fame bound (barring god forbid some type of horrible injury or sickness)and the best player in baseball. The best in any profession gets top dollar. My opinion is he will want ten years 300 million. Someone will want him. The owner of the cards was quoted as saying “only one team ever won the world series when commiting 25% of the teams salary to one player”
we will have to wait and see what happens.
“he is hall of fame bound (barring god forbid some type of horrible injury or sickness)and the best player in baseball.”
I’m pretty sure he goes in regardless.
Probably at this point, even if he gets hurt and plays just a little bit this year he is still probably in, but if he gets hurt in ST and never plays again, he can’t get in because he doesn’t have 10 years of service time. Not likely of course, but not a lock quite yet.
Probably at this point, even if he gets hurt and plays just a little bit this year he is still probably in, but if he gets hurt in ST and never plays again, he can’t get in because he doesn’t have 10 years of service time. Not likely of course, but not a lock quite yet.
He has 10 years as of his first AB this season. Kind of like the idiocy of giving Big Mac an AB this year to reset his HOF clock.
I understand that, but no player has ever been elected on just 10 years of service time. 12 is the least that I can even think of. No doubt, Pujols is a first ballot HOFer, IF he doesn’t get hurt. For no other reason than longevity would he not get in RIGHT NOW. Even if he gets one AB this year or just a couple and his career is over, he won’t make it.
That being said, he has spent very little time on the DL in the past and I believe that he will go down as arguably the greatest player ever and will get in no doubt, I’m just explaining that he isn’t 100% in yet. Nothing more.
I’m also confused as to what this has to do with McGwire and his HOF clock?
Sure they have — Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella and Ralph Kiner come to mind…10 years on the nose. I mentioned McGwire just to illustrate the “one more AB” thing — one more AB for Pujols and he’s got his 10 years; it’s not 10 years completed.
You are right, Robinson and Campanella although deserving, the Negro leagues aided their entrance and as far as Kiner goes, he barely made it. They also played 10 reasonably full seasons, but all that aside, they did make it after 10, just a Pujols will/would.
It’s not like he’s going to be voted in in the next 5 or so years anyway, so maybe if he gets that at bat and gets eligible again in 2016 people might think differently about him, lol.
He is ahead of another 10 year guy who is in the hall of fame. Ralph Kiner . Intresting to compare the number. Kiner played 10 years and he had 367 homers, Albert is already at 366 plus he is a better hitter.
“he is hall of fame bound (barring god forbid some type of horrible injury or sickness)and the best player in baseball.”
I’m pretty sure he goes in regardless.
Just FYI, as of his first AB this season Pujols is HOF eligible…he will have made it to 10 years of service. I think what he’s done in the first 9+ would get him in.
If Pujols retired after this or next year, it would be identical to Sandy Koufax IMO, so I think there would be no way to keep him out.
I’d say Ralph Kiner, but your point is valid.
Koufax had 12 years, more like Kiner
Koufax didn’t start full-time (or close to it) until 58, his 4th year in the league. He had 62 total games in the 3 previous seasons, and only 28 of those were starts. Koufax had 9 seasons of starting full-time, while Pujols has had 9 seasons of full-time play in the majors.
I agree with you. If you do not know this name Ralph Kiner. He played for the pirates for exactly 10 years and had 369 homers. He is in the hall of fame. Compare his stats to Alberts .
Puljos is the one holding the aces in the deal, he is hall of fame bound (barring god forbid some type of horrible injury or sickness)and the best player in baseball. The best in any profession gets top dollar. My opinion is he will want ten years 300 million. Someone will want him. The owner of the cards was quoted as saying “only one team ever won the world series when commiting 25% of the teams salary to one player”
we will have to wait and see what happens.
I bet they will give Cardinal stock to Bert as part of his outrageously deferred contract he will receive.
This may or may not have been said yet, but the Cardinals will be likely to give Pujols a very creative contract. When the organization says, “make Pujols a Cardinal for life” they don’t mean just for the next 10 years… They mean make him a Cardinal for life in a Bob Gibson, Stan Musial, Ozzie Smith sort of way. He get a small bit of ownership in the team, get certain promotions for life, be guaranteed a job post baseball around the club, etc…
I agree. This contract has two years to probably become one of sports wackiest contracts ever.
Here are the facts:
Pujols deserves to be the highest paid player in history which means at least 10yrs/$275.1 mil.
The Cardinals can’t afford to pay that because nearly half of their quoted payroll (100 mil) will be tied up in two players and about 70% in six players.
All sides want to make a deal happen to make Pujols stay around for life and to quote Redbirds16 above, “in a Bob Gibson, Stan Musial, Ozzie Smith, (Ray Lankford 🙂 sort of way.”
The solution is to come up with something extremely creative.
First, management needs to up payroll to 110-120 mil, easily done since ticket prices have raised with inflation and the payroll hasn’t in recent years.
Give him something like 8-10yrs/220-240 mil plus player options for 10 mil/year for as long as he wants to play after that. Also defer some money (3 mil or so like Holliday.) Give him about 2-3% ownership, 1-2% of revenue to a charity of choice (most likely Pujols foundation for downs syndrome) for the duration of his career, his restaurant in ballpark village, guaranteed options after retirement (i.e. hitting/fielding coach, ST instructor, etc.), guarantee a statue and retired number, parking space inside the stadium, etc.
Now I know some of these seem far fetched and there is NO guarantee that anything like this could happen, but if anyone ever warranted such treatment and the Redbirds needed to make this happen for anyone, it is AP.
All this being said, I hope he stays a Cardinal for life. It looks that way, but baseball is in real trouble if he heads for the money he truly deserves.
Lastly, the Cardinals probably have been banking for this for about 5 years now (since they knew he was going to stay the player he is) and have not raised payroll, spent on cheaper free agents, raised prices and still put a product on the field that allowed for post season trips (extra revenue). They’ve known this is coming and are able to pay it…I hope.
I agree. This contract has two years to probably become one of sports wackiest contracts ever.
Here are the facts:
Pujols deserves to be the highest paid player in history which means at least 10yrs/$275.1 mil.
The Cardinals can’t afford to pay that because nearly half of their quoted payroll (100 mil) will be tied up in two players and about 70% in six players.
All sides want to make a deal happen to make Pujols stay around for life and to quote Redbirds16 above, “in a Bob Gibson, Stan Musial, Ozzie Smith, (Ray Lankford 🙂 sort of way.”
The solution is to come up with something extremely creative.
First, management needs to up payroll to 110-120 mil, easily done since ticket prices have raised with inflation and the payroll hasn’t in recent years.
Give him something like 8-10yrs/220-240 mil plus player options for 10 mil/year for as long as he wants to play after that. Also defer some money (3 mil or so like Holliday.) Give him about 2-3% ownership, 1-2% of revenue to a charity of choice (most likely Pujols foundation for downs syndrome) for the duration of his career, his restaurant in ballpark village, guaranteed options after retirement (i.e. hitting/fielding coach, ST instructor, etc.), guarantee a statue and retired number, parking space inside the stadium, etc.
Now I know some of these seem far fetched and there is NO guarantee that anything like this could happen, but if anyone ever warranted such treatment and the Redbirds needed to make this happen for anyone, it is AP.
All this being said, I hope he stays a Cardinal for life. It looks that way, but baseball is in real trouble if he heads for the money he truly deserves.
Lastly, the Cardinals probably have been banking for this for about 5 years now (since they knew he was going to stay the player he is) and have not raised payroll, spent on cheaper free agents, raised prices and still put a product on the field that allowed for post season trips (extra revenue). They’ve known this is coming and are able to pay it…I hope.
A bunch should be deferred too, seeing as how the Cards have done a lot of that recently.
People seems to forget how much salary can be deferred. Bruce Sutter will be paid by the Braves until 2015! (An annuity paying $1MM/year spread over 30 years)
10yrs 200 million..get it done
10yrs 200 million..get it done
I’ve been waiting for this news.
I’ve been waiting for this news.
For everyone saying that the team would give him stock in the team, the collective bargaining agreement expressly prohibits such deals. But yes the cardinals are going to have to be creative.
I’m willing to bet he signs for 8 years 200 million. 5 million of it deferred each year which results in present day salary looking pretty similar to Texiera’s which really only creates a 6 million dollar bump for the cardinals, hell they could pay him that this year and still have a competitive team at under a 100 million.
I’m a huge Cardinal fan and I don’t see Pujols contract exceeding the 300m point. Don’t get me wrong, he is the best player in baseball and he deserves the best contract in baseball. However he loves STL and he doesn’t want to leave. He will not put the Cardinals in a position that will cripple their payroll and make it difficult to put together a winning team. He just won’t do that. He is completely committed to winning no matter what it takes.
I see Pujols breaking A-Rod’s contract by getting a 10 year / $280 million contract. This way he gets a his huge contract and the Cardinals get a little discount. On top of that, I think that Pujols will agree to defer a chunk of the paycheck and have his money spread out over the next 30 years. He’s just that kind of guy that will put the team first in order to win. There is absolutely no chance that he won’t re-sign with the Cardinals, so don’t even bother thinking about it.
The Cards to me shouldn’t be so fast to extend AP. Cards hav still got him under their control for 2010, 11 for $30 mil, and if i were them i would let that ride out. Then probably get another big signing next winter maybe an ace. Analyst and people r comparing AP and Arod, but they’re different players in different leagues, when Arod hits 39 yrs of age and still has two years of his contract, remember he can DH. AP is a different story and to gaurantee ten years to him in a year or now is risky biss. i think an 8 yr $200 deal should get it done and i think this will or should happen next year. lets face it AP is not going anywhere.
I would expect a deal that is fairly large maybe the same exact amount or a little less then arods contract but I would bet that a lot of it will be deffered. Like what they did with Holliday but more money. I bet the Cardinals sign him for what would look like 25 mil a year but I bet it comes out to like 18 to 19 a year and they will paying him for years to come. Maybe like 3 million a year for 20 years after he retires. That way if he did that the team would have an extra 5 mil at least o help get some other players ever if it is just a reliever and bench player for 5 mil.
10 years won’t happen for Pujols in his next contract. From what I’ve seen, many predictions have Pujols retiring between the ages of 35-37, and finishing in the 500s in homeruns (well short of the record). I would love to see him play until the age of, at least, 38 or 39, but he may not hold up that long. I would hate to see him turn out like Bagwell and have to retire early before really becoming one of the very top at his position ever, but it could happen.
I think a contract around the likes of 6 years 160 million in the offseason of 2011 (or add a year and 25 million if it’s done some time this year) is most likely because of his age. If he we was 27 or 28 right now, then he should definitely be looking for a 10 year 275-300 million $ contract.
Ivdown, Are you kidding me how could you see pujols retiring at 37-39 pujols will play well into his 40’s with his work ethic and consistency i dont think the Cardinals will give him a ten year contract, but i think they’ll give him a contract at 6 years ATLEAST hopefully we have him the rest of his career and life (as a hitting coach 🙂 Go Cardinals and Pujols lets get number 3 in a row
i know just like the rest there are gonna be a lot of unhappy cardinals fans if the pujols deal does not go through i know Holliday is a premeire player but to pay him more than albert was just a slap in the face to albert i wouldn’t mind seeing chris carpenters contract not being reached just so long as we resign Albert
there are going to be a lot of unhappy cards fans if this contract is not finished i know holliday is a great player but to pay him more than Albert was a slap in the face to ALbert I wouldnt mind seeing a chris carpenter contract not being met to be able to sign Albert again