The Machine to the open market?

[Megatron]

Despite us now being in full swing of the NFL Playoffs, here's a story that needs to be talked about:

The St. Louis Cardinals have until the opening of spring training to sign slugger Albert Pujols.

If a deal is not done by then, then negotiations will be cut off and he will test free agency in the fall, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.

General manager John Mozeliak declined Saturday to characterize negotiations.

The Cardinals exercised a $16 million option for next season on Pujols' contract in October.

Both sides want to keep the negotiations private.

"Really, we don't want to sit here and handicap or guess or kind of give any type of gut feel where this thing is headed right now," Mozeliak said. "Hopefully in the near future it's something we can talk more about, but right now I'm not prepared to."

Mozeliak also declined to discuss negotiations at a fan forum, where he requested the topic not come up, saying, "I have no idea."

Although Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt expressed confidence earlier this winter that the team could keep Pujols beyond 2011, Mozeliak said: "I don't think it's going to benefit anybody for me to weigh in at this point."

The 30-year-old Pujols led the National League with 42 homers and 118 RBIs last season. He topped 400 career homers and set a franchise record with his 39th multihomer game.

"Obviously, Albert is the face of this organization and the face of this city," pitcher Chris Carpenter said. "He's the best player in baseball. You're talking about huge dollars and huge commitments.

Honestly, imagine if Pujols was a free agent. Everyone and their grandmother would be begging for him to join their team, and Albert would no doubt get the biggest contract in the history of MLB (yes, bigger then A-Rods with Texas in the last decade). If he were to somehow get free, I could only see a handful of teams being able to afford him, even though many of them are set at first base for the time being (mainly the Yankees, Red Sox, and Phillies). This would be the biggest free agent signing decision this side of Lebron James. It could be remarkable.

Yet, I doubt this will happen. The Cardinals would look like the biggest boobs if they let a guy go that may possibly go down as the greatest hitter of all time in his prime. It would just be too illogical for St. Louis to not open up their checkbooks, give Albert a blank check to sign for however much he wants to stay a Cardinal for the rest of his career. The guy is worth every dollar, dime, and penny that the Cards have in their account. It would have to be considered as one of the dumbest moves ever in sports history, and I'm not exaggerating.

So, question here is: Do you think the Cardinals will fail to meet Pujols's demands and not pay him the money he deserves? If so, who would be able to pay for him that actually needs him (so really NY, Boston, and Philly are out of the running)?

I don't see STL letting him go, but if he is a free agent next season, it'll be the 'Winter of Pujols'.

 

[Theo Mays]

Excellent thread Megatron. In football terms this is like Nnamdi Asomugha hitting free agency this year. What I mean by that is everyone one on the market would be interested in him even if there wasn't an immediate need at the first base position. Obviously if Pujols leaves he is going to get insane money and it is probably well worth it considering how great this guy is.

In terms of teams that could use a first baseman that he could end up with I would say the New York Mets. I know they have a nice young kid there right now in Ike Davis, but Davis possesses the ability to play the corner outfield spots and I'm sure for the better of the team he would slide out there because it ultimately would make the New York Mets better of a team. Two other teams I could see going after Big Al would be the Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants. Rangers, like the Mets have a young kid at first with the option of moving him into the outfield. Giants have Aubrey Huff and we know Huff can play the OF as well and I believe some 3B, however I'm not sure that either of those two would shell out the cash like the Mets could.

In the end I don't see Pujols leaving the Cardinals. The Cards know just how important Pujols is to that team and I think they would do whatever they could to keep his great talent around. But like you said Megatron if Pujols were to hit the open market it would be a spectacle.

 

[daCode2123]

Being a lifelong Cardinal fan, this greatly terrifies me. Acknowledging the fact that he is the best hitter I have seen in my 19 years of life (14 of actually understanding and watching sports) and one of the best ever, it makes me sick to my stomach. No matter how his signing may bind our ability to move and/or sign players in terms of the salary cap, it is a necessity. He is a great player that commands respect in the middle of the lineup, which allows for the batters around him (specifically Holliday) to take advantage of the focus pitchers place on Albert, thus improving their numbers and effectiveness. And coming from a Missouri resident (St. Louis for college), having that respectable of a player, personality, and community leader on our team brings an even larger sense of pride to the fans and the Cardinals community.

Point of the story: Pujols HAS to remain in a Cardinals uniform. Not only is it NOT feasible for me to see him associated with another team's logo, but it would be devastating to the Cardinals community, myself included.

 

[WWEboy13]

I don't see Pujols leaving the Cardinals. Maybe they will let him test the market, but he will still end up with the Cards if he doesn't get an extension. Albert is just way too important for the Cards to let go.