With virtually every division winner in baseball all but determined, the final few weeks of the regular season are ending without considerable fanfare. Of course, this will change come October as the race for the World Series takes center stage.
However, for fans in St. Louis, tensions are already high as Albert Pujols prepares to become one of the most sought after free agents in the history of the game. Pujols, who is just 31 years of age, will most likely become the highest paid player in baseball, and deservedly so.
He is the active leader in career batting average at .328. He currently ranks fifth amongst active players in home runs with 442. In less than eleven major league baseball seasons he has amassed 1315 RBI. Pujols is a three-time National League MVP winner who has finished out of the top-4 in voting only once in the ten full years he has played professional ball.
In other words, his numbers are above ‘Ruthian’ in nature.
At years end, Prince Albert’s current 8-year, $111mm contract will expire. His agent, Dan Lorenzo, has been true to his word when he promised once the 2011 season began neither he nor his client would discuss contractual terms with the St. Louis Cardinals or the media until after the season.
All this makes for a true nail-biter in St. Louis and intrigues the rest of the baseball world. Would it possible that Pujols, he of the god-like stature in St. Louis, would possibly leave the mid-west city that adores him?
Enter the Yankees.
Given the relatively quiet nature of their 2011 free agent campaign, it would not be surprising for the New York Yankees to press for a major haul this off-season. Much to the chagrin of the Red Sox, the Yankees have the resources few teams possess to lure Prince Albert to the Bronx. A ten year deal for $300MM certainly would not be out of the question for the Yankees to embrace The Machine.
In order for such a deal to take place, money is remarkably one of the least pressing issues. Given the egos involved with the Yankee brass, locker room, and Pujols himself, considerable give and take would test both sides.
From the Yankee perspective, Pujols would have to agree to play third base. Primarily a first baseman throughout his career, Prince Albert has played 103 games at third base and 309 at the corner outfield positions. It may be a tough sell, however, the Yankees would be wise to find a replacement for Alex Rodriguez at third base sooner rather than later. Considering there are still some who believe A-rod has a chance to become baseball’s all-time home run champ, getting his balky hip out of the field permanently and in a DH role seems wise. Additionally, current designated hitter Jorge Posada is not expected to return to the Yankees next season. Any thought of Pujols playing first base over Mark Teixeira would be out of the question.
Another potential obstacle is the possibility of CC Sabathia opting out of his current contract with the Yankees. Technically, Sabathia’s agreement with New York is a 7-year deal, however, it is actually 2 contracts – one 3-year deal that has netted Sabathia $69MM from 09 through 2011 and a second 4-year deal that is worth $92MM which Sabathia would need to exercise. Popular thought is Sabathia will not agree to the current option and will seek a more lucrative deal through the 2016 season or beyond.
While Yankee general manager Brian Cashman may be salivating at the idea of a team consisting of Pujols and Sabathia, even the New York Yankees need to exercise some constraint and examine the fiscal commitments of having both in pinstripes. In the end, these fiscal issues are most likely outweighed with the prospects of stealing the back page headlines of the New York papers from the cross-town Mets. Plus, the Yankee brass always enjoys getting over at the expense of Boston fans. Nonetheless, financial responsility exists, even for the Yanks.
With all these considerations, the biggest one is most likely on the shoulders of Albert Pujols himself. How badly does he want to win a world championship?
The Cardinals underachieved terribly in 2011. They were favored by many experts and baseball enthusiasts to win the NL Central division which is currently being dominated by the Milwaukee Brewers. As for the future of the team, it is somewhat in limbo. Starting pitchers Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainright (both have options for 2012) are potential free agents, as is outfielder/first baseman Lance Berkman. Already in need of both offense and pitching to compete at a playoff caliber, St. Louis has a number of roster issues to deal with before it can consider itself serious contenders. Re-signing Pujols to a long term deal could very well hamper that effort given the Cardinals lack the resouces of other large market teams.
As for the Yankees, they are a perpetual powerhouse. Like the Red Sox, their best-in-class management of the business of baseball and abundant resources virtually guarantee Prince Albert an annual visit to the playoffs. Signing with the Yankees offers a better chance at World Series rings than his current team, the Cardinals.
Perhaps Yankee Stadium will never become ‘The House that Albert Built’. But it is fun imagining him in pinstripes.
References: baseball-reference.com; Yahoo sports