Oh, and this guy named Albert Pujols has a deadline for negotiations with the Cardinals on the possibility of re-signing and ultimately finishing out his career as a Cardinal.
Reports thus far about how contract negotiations are going? No one really knows. Pujols and the Cardinals front office agreed to postpone today's original deadline to noon EST tomorrow in order let Stan "The Man" Musial have his day today. For those of you who don't know, Stan Musial received The Presidential Medal of Freedom today from President Obama. Check out the Post Dispatch's article on the festivities here.
I truly hope that Albert re-signs with the Cardinals and retires as a Cardinal. If this happens, he will be remembered as one of the greatest Cardinal players in history, on a par with Stan Musial.
But I can't blame him for wanting to test the free agency market. There's nothing wrong with seeing what you can get. It doesn't mean he can't still sign with the Cardinals. It just means he can explore his options. But I shudder at the thought of Albert in a Cubs uniform just because they were willing to pay just a bit more than the Cardinals. Hell, I shudder at the thought of Albert in a Cubs uniform PERIOD.
Albert has said repeatedly how much he respects the Cardinals organization, and how much he'd like to stay and retire a Cardinal...I hope that he really means that. The Cardinals need to pay him. Maybe not what he wants, but come close. He's earned it. Do you really want the best player in baseball to walk off and become a Cub? Yankee? Angel?
There are only a few teams that have the pockets to afford Pujols, and some of those teams have already signed first base players to high paying contracts (Yankees, Red Sox). It doesn't make sense for those teams to dish out the money for Albert, it would be only for the sake of having signed the best player in baseball.
I hope that Albert and the Cardinals shock us all by announcing tomorrow that the deal is signed, sealed delivered and Albert is officially a Cardinal long term.
If not, it's going to be a long season with constant whispers and theories on when/if Albert will sign with the Cardinals, or what other teams might approach him. Though Albert has said once spring training starts he doesn't want to think or talk contracts, do you really think he and his agent are not going to look at a significant deal if the Cards pitch one to him? I think they would be incredibly stupid not to.
Either way, if a deal isn't announced tomorrow, it's still far from over and it's going to be a long season of speculation. The Cardinals have to focus on the 2011 season and hopefully getting to the post-season. And Pujols will be there to help lead the way. At least until the end of 2011.
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