Cardinals Begin Life After Pujols, Face Mixed Reactions On Bidding Process

The Angels' pursuit of 1B Albert Pujols "contrasted the Cardinals' methodical, conservative tact that saw them follow up last February's failed talks about a contract extension with an offer that actually featured a lower average annual value," according to Joe Strauss of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. The Angels' winning bid "outflanked an organization reluctant to commit more than 20 percent of projected payroll to one player." Sources said that the Cardinals "reopened talks earlier this month with a five-year, $130 million bid that eventually grew to 10 years guaranteed for $210 million but included significant deferred money." The Cardinals' final bid "actually ranked fourth among teams willing to commit 10 years to Pujols;" he signed with the Angles for $254M. Cardinals Chair Bill DeWitt Jr. said, "The most important thing is to be competitive and to have a chance to win every single year. If you pay more to one player or a certain group of players, that impacts the ability to compete" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 12/9). In N.Y., Tyler Kepner notes the Cardinals "never offered to make Pujols the highest-paid first baseman in the game." Phillies 1B Ryan Howard "earns $25 million per season, and Pujols’s new contract exceeds that by $400,000 annually" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/9).

FRONT OFFICE HELD THEIR GROUND: In St. Louis, Bernie Miklasz writes, "I can't condemn the Cardinals for holding the line after going as far as they could." They "stretched their budget beyond the set limits to offer Pujols a guaranteed 10-year contract worth $210 million." Miklasz: "This franchise doesn't have to be ashamed of that offer. It wasn't the best, but it was generous. The Cardinals' offer was also insane" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 12/9). Also in St. Louis, Jeff Gordon writes DeWitt "never flinched," and his "vision for his franchise never clouded." DeWitt could "justify investing roughly $200 million to make Pujols a Cardinal for Life." That would have been "a bad baseball contract, given his desire to adhere to a $110 million payroll limit, but the franchise could have absorbed it by relying more heavily on younger players." However, DeWitt "was unwilling to go higher." He "set his dollar limit a long, long time ago" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 12/9). In Chicago, Phil Rogers writes the loss of Pujols "did not have to happen," as DeWitt and Senior VP & GM John Mozeliak "could have kept Pujols off the free-agent market." But Rogers notes, "In their defense, St. Louis is one of the smallest markets in the majors, and it seems reasonable that they were trying to maintain the payroll around $110 million. That was the figure even with Pujols underpaid" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 12/9).

DECISION MADE A WHILE AGO? In St. Louis, Bryan Burwell writes he believes the Cardinals "simply decided a long time ago that they never had any intention of re-signing Pujols and allowing him to retire as a local treasure, but opted for image purposes to put up a carefully constructed facade of a 'negotiation' to mislead Cardinals fans into believing an earnest pursuit of Pujols was going on." Burwell: "This entire episode feels too much like a long, dragged-out bogus courtship. ... If the Cardinals had truly wanted to re-sign Pujols, they could have accomplished that goal at any point during the past two years. Instead, they quietly allowed the conversation to go out there that no one in their right mind would offer a 32-year-old slugger" a 10-year deal (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 12/9).

FREE FOR ALL: In St. Louis, Matthew Hathaway reports Pujols apparel "flew off the shelves" Thursday morning at St. Louis' four Pro Image Sports stores, but "only because it was free." Store Owner Paul Russo said that at "about 1:30 p.m. that the Chesterfield Mall store had just about given away its entire stock of about 150 shirts and jerseys that would usually sell for between $14.99 and $129.99." Russo added that other area locations "gave away a similar amount of Pujols apparel." Russo said that he "made a spur-of-the-moment decision to give away the merchandise." He acknowledged that, "realistically, he wouldn't have been able to get very much for the Pujols items" after news came out Pujols has signed with the Angels. Russo said that "uncertainty about Pujols' future already had caused sales of his jerseys to slow to a trickle." Pro Image "stopped re-ordering Pujols merchandise weeks ago for fear that it could be stuck with worthless stock" (STLTODAY.com, 12/8).