This story seems to indicate Albert Pujols is not happy with the pace of his negotiations with the Cardinals:
At his client’s urging, Lozano has offered little public comment during the last 11 months about the process. However, that hasn’t prevented sources close to Team Pujols from noting the first baseman’s disappointment over a process that has never reached high gear.
Albert has to realize that once a deadline is set, there is no reason for the Cardinals to get real serious until the deadline is near. I suspect they made Albert an offer that’s a good offer, but not what Pujols wants. There is no reason for St. Louis to budge from that offer yet. Albert will play 2011 with St. Louis. If the deadline is serious, and Albert really wants to stay with the Cardinals, maybe he blinks and comes down from his demands. Maybe, if the deadline is serious, the Cardinals decide they can’t lose Albert and raise their offer. Even if they don’t make the deadline, however, there is no reason the sides can’t keep talking. This is an artificial deadline. The real one is the day Albert declares free agency.
What if Albert suffers his first poor season? Maybe staying in St. Louis at the Cardinals price looks a lot better. What if he’s fantastic again? Then the Cardinals front office might decide to meet his demands. Is Albert really going to say no to what he wants if the St. Louis front office offers it to him in the middle of the season? We’ll see, but don’t expect to hear anything real until the middle of the month.
Eights years, $242 million, year one is 2011. Cards have him signed only through age 38, Albert can’t walk away from a new per season record pay.
“If the deadline is serious, and Albert really wants to stay with the Cardinals, maybe he blinks and comes down from his demands.:
Why? He can still sign with the Cardinals as a FA. The Cardinals have set no deadline. The deadline is simmply sign me before the season starts, or try and sign me after I declare FA.
Really no reason for the Cardinals to sign him before the regular season unless Albert is willing to give them a home town discount. If he wants market dollars, he needs to be a FA and hope there are enough teams willing or able to spend and compete for his services. With the Red Sox, Phillies and Yankees seemingly set at 1B, this may not be a sure thing.
I can see Texas, Blue Jays, and Cubs going after him, but who else? Cardinals might get a better deal if he is a FA and Albert finds out the market can not afford to give him what he wants and is worth (on paper).
@pft: Any team wanting to make a splash, and suddenly get a lot better. For example, the Marlins are moving into a new stadium in 2012, and have a ton of payroll flexibility. Todd Helton is getting old. Imagine Albert in Colorado. The Dodgers, despite the problems of their owners, still have great cash flow. The Nationals are willing to spend a lot of money on free agents, and Strasburg, Haper, Werth, Zimmerman(n) and Pujols would make a great core.
Albert is a special player. I think there will be more teams interested than you imagine.
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