Albert Pujols Rumors: Friday
The deadline for an extension between Albert Pujols and the Cardinals is nearly upon us and the sides don't appear to be making much progress in advance of Wednesday's deadline. As tempting as it is to start imagining the three-time MVP in a Royals cap or an Orioles jersey, that's probably premature. If you ask Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, talk of the deadline is overblown because the sides could decide to push it forward. Here's the latest on the Cardinals and their star first baseman, with the latest updates up top:
- ESPN.com's Buster Olney agrees: there has been no recent progress (Twitter link).
- One observer tells Jon Heyman of SI.com that the Cardinals and Pujols are "speaking two different languages'' and not close to a deal. By all accounts, the sides have lots of work to do, according to Heyman.
- It looks like a Pujols extension is less likely than Mark McGwire playing this year, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (on Twitter).
- Matt Holliday said on ESPN Radio that he would consider deferring part of his contract if it meant the Cardinals could extend Pujols. But Holliday tells MLB.com's Matthew Leach that the suggestion was "very hypothetical" and that the Cardinals haven't brought up the idea of deferring money.
Olney On Mets, Dodgers, Pujols
A year ago it was the Rangers and Cubs. Now, the Mets and Dodgers have ownership issues, as ESPN.com's Buster Olney explains in his latest blog entry. Here are the details…
- Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has “serious” financial problems, according to Olney. The day-to-day costs of running a team could soon create more of a need for cash for McCourt, who has looked for investors, but has not shown any interest in selling off much of the team.
- MLB is expected to let the Dodgers ownership situation play out on its own, writes Olney.
- The Dodgers’ ownership issues appear to be “much more immediate” than those of the Mets, but the Mets have significant financial obligations in a number of areas. For more on the Madoff/Wilpon/Mets mess, read Howard Megdal's latest for MLBTR.
- Both the Mets and Dodgers have been mentioned as hypothetical landing spots for Albert Pujols, who will hit free agency if he doesn’t sign an extension by the time Spring Training starts. One rival executive suggested to Olney that the Cubs could become the top bidder for Pujols if he hits the open market. "I think their ownership is gearing up for that," the executive said.
Quick Hits: Marcum, Blanco, Peavy, Pujols
Links for Wednesday night..
- Brewers negotiator Teddy Werner told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (via Twitter) that the ability for Shaun Marcum to exceed the $4MM arb midpoint via incentives was key to making the deal happen.
- Royals outfielder Gregor Blanco is out of options and on the bubble, writes Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star.
- The Mets could learn a lot from the Rangers, who also experienced financial trouble recently, writes Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal.
- Jake Peavy is eager to fulfill the expecations that the White Sox had for him when they traded for him in 2009, writes Scott Miller of CBSSports.com.
- Agent Adam Karon has been promoted to partner and general counsel at Sosnick-Cobbe Sports, tweets ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. Karon represents Jonathan Singleton, Brent Morel, Jesse Biddle, Sean Coyle, Chris Heisey, and others.
- Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com (via Twitter) points out that the Cardinals have an exclusive negotiating window with Albert Pujols from the end of the team's season to five days after the World Series.
- The Cards should give Pujols the dollars he's looking for but only across seven years, says Jon Heyman of SI (via Twitter).
- The White Sox are amongst the teams that did well this offseason, writes Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer.
- Reliever Duaner Sanchez worked out for several clubs in Arizona today, though the Red Sox were not among them, tweets Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe. The veteran right-hander last pitched in the majors in 2009 when he made 12 appearances for the Padres.
Cardinals, Pujols Remain Far Apart
Albert Pujols and the Cardinals remain far apart in discussions about a possible extension, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter links). Heyman says the sides are so far apart that there's "virtually no chance" for a deal by Pujols' February 16th deadline. Pujols is looking for Alex Rodriguez money ($275MM over ten years), while the Cardinals are reluctant to offer anything more than a six or seven-year deal.
Pujols, 31, is nine months away from hitting free agency for the first time. The three-time MVP has said that he'll stop negotiating an extension once Spring Training begins, so the Cardinals have exactly one week to reach a deal with him. Ten years into his MLB career, Pujols has 408 home runs and a .331/.426/.624 career line.
February 16th Deadline For Pujols Extension
The deadline for an extension between the Cardinals and Albert Pujols is earlier than anticipated. The first baseman had been scheduled to arrive in Spring Training on February 19th, but he is now expected to report on February 16th, according to ESPN. That will reduce the sides' negotiating window by three days.
The Cardinals have until Spring Training to work out a deal with Pujols’ agent, Dan Lozano, or the three-time MVP will hit free agency after the season. Earlier today, we heard that the Cardinals had yet to make Pujols a formal offer as of last weekend.
Not Much Progress Apparent For Cardinals, Pujols
Spring Training is just a week away, so the Cardinals don't have much time to lock Albert Pujols up, but if the sides are making progress it's not noticeable. Yahoo's Tim Brown reports that the Cardinals hadn't made a concrete offer as of this weekend.
By this point, the sides surely know the framework of the discussions and it's clear that Pujols is well-positioned for a nine-figure deal. According to Brown, Pujols is thought to be looking for a deal like the one Alex Rodriguez signed with the Yankees after the 2007 season (A-Rod got $275MM guaranteed and his record deal allows him to make more through bonuses). One prominent agent says Pujols is worth $36MM per year, because “now, it’s brand related. Pujols is a brand.”
Pujols, who is set to hit free agency after the season, has set a Spring Training deadline for negotiations with the Cardinals.
Olney On Pujols Negotiations
Now that the Super Bowl is over, the countdown can really begin. Spring Training is just days away, but that's not the countdown in question. The Cardinals have to lock Albert Pujols up by Spring Training or bid for him on the open market after the season and as ESPN.com's Buster Olney writes, contract talks are “not moving at all.”
Pujols appears to be pursuing a "Mt. Everest" contract whether it's in St. Louis or elsewhere. Other clubs – Olney names the Angels, Dodgers and Mets as examples – could re-brand themselves by signing Pujols, arguably the game's best player.
But it's too early to assume that Pujols is hitting the open market. Talks haven't been going well for a few days, but as we saw with negotiations between Derek Jeter and the Yankees, teams and players can make progress in a hurry.
Pujols Talks Not Going Well
6:29pm: Joe Strauss of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch heard that the two sides are "nowhere close" according to someone in Pujols' camp. He says the Cardinals remain reluctant to counter the ten-year, $300MM structure Pujols' side presented last year and are "leery of setting Pujols' market for fear their proposal could be rejected and eventually shopped should he reach free agency."
1:06pm: Contract talks between the Cardinals and Albert Pujols are headed in the wrong direction, major league sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The clock is ticking as there are less than two weeks until the first baseman’s self-imposed deadline for an agreement. The Cards' position players report to Spring Training on February 18th.
Even though talks between the two sides are fluid, the Cardinals are balking at the 31-year-old’s asking price. The slugger is seeking a contract that will reflect his status as the game's top player, meaning that he's likely looking to top Alex Rodriguez's ten-year, $275MM deal.
If Pujols does hit the open market after the 2011 season, Rosenthal writes that the Cubs, Rangers, and Angels are among the teams that could pursue Pujols. The Mets and Dodgers also could jump into the fray provided that their financial situations improve. The Yankees and Red Sox are obviously set long term at the first base position but Rosenthal posits that either team could get creative in an attempt to land Pujols.
Heyman On Lee, Cabrera, Wells, Pujols, Hamilton
Owner Chuck Greenberg and the Rangers were slower to offer Cliff Lee a competitive deal than other interested clubs, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com. Lee's camp wanted to keep the Rangers involved in the bidding, though they started with a 'lowball' offer before offering $100MM and, eventually, even more. The Rangers justified their lower offers by pointing out that Texas has no state income tax, but Lee asked around and determined that he wouldn't save that much, since he lives in Arkansas.
Talks between Lee and the Phillies broke off twice before the sides reached an agreement. If the Phillies hadn't completed the deal, the Yankees would have been seen as the favorites to sign the lefty, according to Heyman. Here are the rest of his rumors:
- One GM says Orlando Cabrera isn't being reasonable. "I don't think he gets the position he's in," the GM said, alluding to the lack of job openings remaining for the shortstop.
- The Rangers didn't show serious interest in Vernon Wells, according to Heyman.
- Executives around the game believe that Albert Pujols will sign an extension with the Cardinals. If the sides don't reach a deal by Spring Training, Pujols will be a free agent after the season, in which case the Cubs may be "best positioned" to pursue him, in the opinion of one executive.
- The Angels are still interested in signing or trading for a leadoff hitter. Scott Podsednik is out there, and could be a fit in L.A.
- One executive believes the Rangers will lose to Josh Hamilton if the sides go to an arbitration hearing. Heyman hears that the Rangers won't bring up Hamilton's history of substance abuse in a hearing. Keep track of all the remaining arbitration cases using our Arb Tracker.
Pujols Would Veto All Trade Proposals
The Cardinals are not seriously exploring the possibility of trading first baseman Albert Pujols because the superstar slugger, who has full no-trade protection, would veto any swap, writes Buster Olney of ESPN.com.
Pujols, slated to become a free agent after the 2011 season, is willing to work out a contract extension with St. Louis but has said that those talks will be tabled on Feb. 19, his first day at Spring Training, so as not to create a distraction.
That means, as Olney notes, the only remaining possibilities are that Pujols signs an extension with the Cardinals or becomes a free agent at season's end. The next 10 days are critical to the Cardinals' efforts to re-sign Pujols, tweets Olney.
Olney speculates that Pujols, who turned 31 this month, will probably command a contract similar to the one Alex Rodriguez signed with the Yankees following the 2007 season — somewhere along the lines of 10 years and $275MM.
For his career, Pujols has posted a ridiculous .331/.426/.624 over 10 seasons, never playing fewer than 143 games in any campaign.