Pujols contract, aka unnecessarily getting my hopes up....

[Guest attgig]

So, there's been a bunch of talk over the past few days about Pujols and his demands that they come together on a contract before the start of spring training. (now if that means when he reports to camp for spring training, or if it means the first game of spring training, i have no clue)..

nevertheless, i'm starting to feel that little twinge of excitement that, just possibly, they won't get it done and he'll become a free agent.

with the cards payroll not really changing for next year (i'd expect options for carpenter, wainwright, molina to all get picked up), there isn't THAT much money that's going to be freed up for a huge raise that he deserves. their payroll for this coming year is at an all time high.

So...
that makes me get my hopes up even more...


If that happens, and yes, that's a BIG IF. could it be that he becomes a free agent?
the mets have tons of money coming off for next year. there would be NO excuse for Sandy to NOT offer an a-rod type contract...and honestly, pujols is the ONLY player that I would want him to offer an arod contract to.

could it be?... just maybe?



now i'm just that much more anxious for the start of spring training.... =) hopefully..maybe...

[Benjamin Grimm]

I guess it's maybe, though my hunch is it's a slight one.

But since the Yankees already have Texeira, and the Phillies have Howard, at least the Mets won't have to worry about competing with either of those two teams.

[metirish]

And Boston has Gonzo, I'd be shocked like everyone I suppose if he doesn't stay in St Louis.

[TransMonk]

I can't see St. Louis letting him walk...but if they do, I'd be interested.

As mentioned above, Tex, Howard and Gonzo being signed to the big 3 takes them out of the picture. Fielder is going to wind up somewhere too.

It's fun to dream, but I think the odds would be huge in favor of the Cards signing him up before ST.

[Ceetar]

I think the Mets would have to have a philosophy change and be willing to spend more money. Smart decision making or not, everyone makes bad signings or guys get hurt. Paying $50+ million for two players doesn't leave you a whole ton of room to make mistakes with the other 23 guys, especially if it jumps up to 80+ with Wright and Reyes.

[Guest Edgy DC]

The Yankees always have room for one more hitter. Always.

Let's grow our own MVPs.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

my only interest in Alert Pujols is my interest in seeing a picture of McGwure sticking a syringe in his ass while Tony LaRussa, Bob Costas and Tim McCarver look on.

[Guest attgig]

TransMonk wrote: I can't see St. Louis letting him walk...but if they do, I'd be interested. As mentioned above, Tex, Howard and Gonzo being signed to the big 3 takes them out of the picture. Fielder is going to wind up somewhere too. It's fun to dream, but I think the odds would be huge in favor of the Cards signing him up before ST.

I'd also add that detroit has cabrera.
angels have morales.

every team would get into the bidding, but i'd bet that if he were to be a FA, the biggest competitors would be the cubs and mariners.

[Frayed Knot]

Keep in mind about Albert:
- He is now 31 y/o (as of yesterday in fact) ... which means (doing some quick math here) he'll be 32 at the beginning of whatever FA contract he signs a year from now and I'm guessing that deal is unlikely to be a short one
- the above is all assuming that his stated age is the correct one. There's been questions about that although nothing even resembling proof.
- more than one injury has been nagging him recently: an elbow for one which was at one time though to need TJ surgery; and he looked barely mobile at various points last season. Maybe those are both behind him and maybe they're not.
- he's a good fielder at 1B although that's only of so much value and it's not like you could move him to a safer position if/when he starts to falter there.

In short, for those who now either regret and/or wish the contracts of Santana and Beltran were already over even remembering that those were signed when those players were still in their 20s, how do you rationalize that we're not going to do the same with Albert a few years from now? Would we be paying for his great years while getting his declining ones (and maybe rapidly declining)?

[ashie62]

I like Ike.

[dgwphotography]

1. I like Ike.
2. He'd probably get hurt and/or test positive for a ped even before the ink in his Met contract would be dry.

[smg58]

The Mets are in a position where they are likely to have more available spending money going into next offseason than any other team, and Pujols happens to be the best player in the sport. Of course you have to look into the possibility of acquiring him. But a lot can happen in a year. Ike Davis might give us plenty of reasons to spend our resources at other positions instead, or he might regress. We might have too many holes in our pitching staff that need filling, or a bunch of people might surprise us. Pujols might have a down year, or he might win the triple crown. Let's see how this plays out.

[Guest attgig]

smg58 wrote: The Mets are in a position where they are likely to have more available spending money going into next offseason than any other team, and Pujols happens to be the best player in the sport. Of course you have to look into the possibility of acquiring him. But a lot can happen in a year. Ike Davis might give us plenty of reasons to spend our resources at other positions instead, or he might regress. We might have too many holes in our pitching staff that need filling, or a bunch of people might surprise us. Pujols might have a down year, or he might win the triple crown. Let's see how this plays out.

this thinking is much too logical for a baseball forum during the offseason....
especially when i just read:

While neither side is talking publicly, early word is that Pujols has used A-Rod's contract, the richest in baseball and one that guarantees him least $275 million over 10 years (and could be worth as much as $305 million if he hits all his landmark home-run numbers), as the only comp. That comes as no surprise as Pujols is widely considered the best player in the game.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/jon_heyman/01/17/albert.pujols.cardinals/index.html#ixzz1BKj9twYA

[Guest Edgy DC]

Between now and then, the Mets have a lot of decisions to make, including a couple involving Jos� Reyes and David Wright.

I'm not sure about "most money in baseball" but however much they have, it still behooves them to spend it wisely.

Pujols has tried throughout his career to regularly undermine your joy and goodwill. He's an enemy, and on Martin Luther King Da, I am certainly moved to treat him with love. But even in my charity, I can at best eye him with heavy suspicion.

[Valadius]

I like Ike, but who says Pujols has to play first?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Who says he has to be a Met at all?

[Frayed Knot]

Valadius wrote: I like Ike, but who says Pujols has to play first?

The fact that his mobility is getting to the point where there'll soon be no other options for him.
Players in their mid-30s don't move from 1st base they move toward it.

[MFS62]

According to a tweet from Beningo and Evans, off air Ike was asked about switching positions if Pujols was available. To which Ike reportedly replied, I would be come a **bleeping** middle reliever to get Albert.

Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

Davis would be more likely to switch teams than positions if the Mets got Pujols.

I really don't think it's going to happen. And as stated above, if it means giving a 8- to 10-year contact to a 32-year-old, we shouldn't be rooting for it to happen.

It would be much more tempting if they could get him for three or four years, but that's not gonna happen. I'm sure he'll stay in St. Louis.

I'm rooting for Ike to take a great leap forward this year, thereby eliminating all talk of Albert.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Ike performing to the absolute pinnacle of what his physical talents allow, and getting the most extreme BABIP bounce known to man besides, wouldn't eliminate all talk of an available Albert Pujols.

Davis has iffy mobility, but a fantastic arm (a regular low-to-mid-90s while pitching occasionally for ASU) that's kindasorta going to waste at his current position. If the Mets were wont to do so, he'd likely make a serviceable right-fielder... and the downgrade in the value he provides (from plus-plus D to meh-at-best D) would be more than outweighed by a semi-healthy Pujols at first.

As for personal taste... like almost everyone here, I prefer homegrown to imports. But it would be silly to try and construct a logical, on-field-performance-based argument against bringing a Pujols here. (As for the injury-risk thing, though... )

[Guest Edgy DC]

Yeah, really, how about an allocation-of-resources-based argument.

[seawolf17]

Four years, $130 million. Take it or leave it, Albert.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Meanwhile, Prince Fielder is only 26.

[seawolf17]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Meanwhile, Prince Fielder is only 26.

And twice as large.

[Valadius]

Pujols is the finest player of his generation. I would be thrilled to have him here.

[Frayed Knot]

Albert is said to be looking for ARod money - like in the neighborhood of 10/$300
NOW make the argument for him.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Imagine owing Pujols $30 million in 2021 when he's 42 years old.

That can really hamstring your franchise.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

He's knocking on the door of top 10 hitters ever... 10 years into his career.

In his worst year-- production-wise-- he hit 34 HRs, notched 71 XBH, and posted a .414 wOBA and .997 OPS. In his worst year, health-wise, he played in 143 games... and hit 49 HRs.

Like Pedro and Johan, he'd be a ridiculous gate draw/merch magnet/press lightning rod himself... and would immediately vault this team into "perennial co-favorite" status annually (as he has with a generally mediocre St. Louis roster, year after year).

Unlike Pedro and Johan, he'd be able to do so by himself. Also unlike both (at the time of Met-quisition), he has shown absolutely nothing in his surface OR peripheral numbers to suggest he's entering or even nearing his decline phase.

He's been a good-to-great defender at his position every year of his career, as per Plus/Minus AND UZR (and your own damn eyes), and he's a pretty decent baserunner, to boot. Strictly speaking about on-field value... he's been worth over $30 million a year, WAR-wise... for his career.

If you're going to overpay for a player... why not overpay for the best damn ballplayer of his generation?

*Argument made for argument's sake.

[ashie62]

Pujols has had ten "perfect seasons", is the best player in the game and can point to Arod's contract as a precedent.

Beyond that, with no evidence at all I am confident he is a juicer.

[G-Fafif]

Can we sign the first ten years of his brilliant career and apply the numbers going forward?