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Albert Pujols

Cafardo On Pujols, Mauer, Holliday, Damon

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Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe has a new column up, and he addresses a few topics of interest from around the majors. Some highlights….

  • Cafardo examines the crossroads that superstars Albert Pujols and Joe Mauer will soon face with their current clubs. He passes on this quote from one baseball official: "I think Mauer has a better chance of staying in Minnesota than Pujols in St. Louis. Mauer is from Minnesota, while you have to give Pujols an A-Rod type contract and I’m not sure the Cardinals would do it."
  • His source thinks that the best way for the Cardinals to keep Pujols in St. Louis is to continue showing him they're committed to going after championships by making moves like this year's Matt Holliday acquisition.
  • Cafardo sees "no downside" to the idea of Holliday patrolling left field in Fenway next season. From an on-field standpoint, that statement could apply to virtually every team in the league, but the Red Sox are probably one of the few clubs that could absorb the financial blow.
  • Johnny Damon could be a good fit in the south side of Chicago, according to Cafardo. The White Sox will be looking for a leadoff hitter, and it's still unclear whether or not Damon will be back in New York.
  • Casey Kotchman may not fit into Boston's plans next year, but Cafardo thinks he could also be a solid addition to the White Sox — especially if Chicago doesn't retain Mark Kotsay.
  • Cafardo wonders why a power-hitting right-hander, like the New York Mets covet, would want to play in Citi Field, which he calls a "death valley" for righties.

Pujols Hopes To Stay In St. Louis

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Albert Pujols surprised many, including the Cardinals front office, when he said he wasn't "desperate" to sign a long-term deal earlier this month. Now, Pujols tells ESPN radio in St. Louis that he wants to be a Cardinal for life, he just doesn't see the need to obsess over his contract yet (transcription from Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch).

"You know the Cardinals need to worry about signing Matt Holliday and all the free agents," Pujols said. "There's no rush for me to sign right now, you know? But if they come tomorrow and say 'Albert, you know, we want to lock you up,' – hey, they know that we're open to that."

Pujols, who will hit free agency two winters from now if the Cards pick up his 2011 option, repeated that he wants to be a Cardinal for life. The 29-year-old combines above-average defense with one of the most potent bats in baseball history.

Odds & Ends: Parker, Okajima, Kikuchi, La Russa

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Links for Thursday…

Odds & Ends: Johjima, Brewers, Pujols

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As the champagne chills in the Philadelphia clubhouse, here are some late-night newsbits….

  • Kirby Arnold of the Everett Herald reports that during a conference call with Japanese press members, Kenji Johjima said that a lack of playing time was the main reason he opted out of his contract with the Mariners.  He and the team cited Johjima's desire to be closer to his family in Japan as the primary reason for his leaving Seattle two days ago.
  • Milwaukee assistant general manger Gord Ash chatted with fans on Wednesday about the Brewers' minor league prospects.  Perhaps the most notable item from the chat was Ash's admission that there will be a "gap" of time before the Brewers can get some pitching help from the farm since most of their best young hurlers are at least a year or two away.
  • Albert Pujols' arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow on Wednesday was "a success" according to a team statement noted by MLB.com's Matthew Leach.  The not-insignificant procedure shouldn't lead to any missed playing time for Pujols, who is expected to be fit and ready for spring training.

Odds & Ends: Mariners, Pujols, Indians, Lincecum

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A few more evening links….

Cardinals Notes: Holliday, Pujols, La Russa

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Some Cardinals-related Sunday morning links….

  • Newsday's Ken Davidoff hears from a source "in the loop" that when Matt Holliday hits free agency, the outfielder's top choices are the Yankees and the Mets.
  • Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune provides a Windy City perspective on Albert Pujols' future in St. Louis. Unsurprisingly, it's bleak, even going so far as to wonder if Pujols could someday be a Cub. I think Rogers might be jumping to conclusions a little too early.
  • Rogers also thinks Tony La Russa ought to just sign a one-year contract with St. Louis, or even take a year off, considering all the big-market managerial openings that next winter could bring.
  • The Cardinals have finally found their answer at second base, in Skip Schumaker, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The 29-year-old infielder is arbitration-eligible for the first time this offseason.

Discussion: Mike Lowell

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Daniel Barbarisi of the Providence Journal broke down the options for the Red Sox in regards to veteran Mike Lowell headed into the 2010 season.  Lowell posted a .290/.337/.474 line in 484 plate appearances with Boston last season and stayed off of the disabled list following hip surgery last fall.

Lowell has one year left on his Boston deal that will pay him $12MM in 2010, a price tag high enough to scare off any potential trade suitors unless the Sox were willing to cover some of the cost.  There's also the added complication of Lowell's no-trade clause in his contract.  Barbarisi suggests that Lowell might agree to be dealt to a National League team where he could play every day, but given Lowell's health history, it might be hard to find a club willing to take a 36-year-old with a lengthy injury history as an everyday third baseman without the safety net of the DH position.  Lowell himself admitted to Barbarisi that he tired from playing almost every day in the first half of the season, but then also said that he wished he could have played more in August and September when Kevin Youkilis took a big chunk of the playing time at third base.

One intriguing possible trade partner could be St. Louis.  Midseason pickup Mark DeRosa is a free agent and will soon be undergoing wrist surgery, according to MLB.com's Matthew Leach.  This leaves the Cardinals with a hole at third base should top prospect David Freese (a .931 OPS in Triple-A, Double-A and Rookie League ball last season and an .837 OPS in 34 plate appearances with St. Louis) not be ready to take over the everyday role next season.  Lowell could keep the seat warm for Freese if Boston pays part of Lowell's contract, a condition that the Cards would likely insist upon given that they will explore re-signing Matt Holliday and signing Albert Pujols to an extension this off-season.

What do you think?  Should the Red Sox think about moving the 2007 World Series MVP, or should they keep Lowell around to provide depth to the Victor Martinez–Casey Kotchman-Youkilis triad that mans the catcher, first base and third base spots?

Odds & Ends: Pujols, Cubs, Strasburg, Wagner

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Another round of links for the afternoon…

Odds & Ends: Nationals, Cardinals, Rangers

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Still tired from last night's NLCS?

This should brighten your morning…

  • Nationals GM Mike Rizzo describes Jim Riggleman as "a terrific in-house candidate" for the managerial position.
  • Cardinals GM John Mozeliak expressed "surprise" over Albert Pujols' lack of urgency to sign an extension.
  • NPB Tracker takes a look at possible acquisitions by the Hanshin Tigers, both from Japan and the United States.
  • The Rangers will begin meetings with groups interested in purchasing the team.
  • Carney Lansford, recently-fired hitting coach of the Giants, has some harsh departing words for San Francisco's hitters.
  • Ray Ratto of the San Francisco Chronicle thinks the McCourt divorce could lead to big trouble for the Dodgers.

Odds & Ends: Cardinals, Rangers, Astros

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Time for your afternoon snack!

  • Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch weighs a reader question: is it time to trade Albert Pujols? As Goold writes, "Ain’t happening, shouldn’t happen (on both sides), but it makes for fine hot-stove jabber." Still, children all of St. Louis (and many adults) rightly shudder at even the hypothetical Pujols trade.
  • The Cardinals are looking to bring John Smoltz back, according to the Associated Press. Smoltz had a 4.26 ERA and 40/9 K/BB ratio in 38 innings with the Cardinals, so their interest is understandable.
  • The Dallas Morning News' Tim Cowlishaw worries that the uncertain ownership situation of the Rangers will keep the club from making big-ticket improvements for 2010.
  • SI's Jon Heyman acknowledges these concerns, but still thinks John Lackey could end up in Texas.
  • Ned Yost is interviewing for Houston's managerial job this afternoon, even though the Houston Chronicle's Richard Justice thinks Phil Garner should be the hire.
  • And the Washington Nationals keep adding front office personnel.
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