With the self imposed contract window closing for Albert Pujols at noon time Wednesday, the St. Louis Cardinals still find themselves at the mercy of its star player. The team is at an unprecedented decision: pay the high ransom and maintain the best player in the game, or risk the embarrassment of losing said person to the free agent market at the end of the season. How could the Cardinals even fathom allowing its most renowned position player since Stan Musial to just walk out of Busch Stadium without putting up a fight? Why not just pay the man what he wants to ensure he fulfills his entire career with St. Louis?
If only it was that easy for the Cardinals. If only they could find that money tree to make it all better. Albert Pujols is looking to become the highest paid player in Major League Baseball’s long history. That is certainly understandable, as he has achieved these impressive statistics so far in his 10 year career: .331 BA, 408 HR, 1230 RBI, and 1.050 OPS. His current negotiating stance rotated on a 10 year, $300 million platform, which he dropped on the laps of the Cardinals’ brass. Before the ownership runs to the bank and swaps its funds to accommodate Pujols’ lucrative demands, three elements must be thoroughly weighed.
First, Albert Pujols is currently 31 years of age. While players tend to have longer careers than past generations, can the team justify paying a player 30 million dollars when he is over the age of 40? How many of his Pujols-like years does he have left in him? With the arrival of stricter enforcement of steroids and other drug enhancements, players tend to break down once they reach their mid-30’s. Pujols may not even make it to the end of the deal, which will further hinder the Cardinals purse strings. In the aftermath of the steroid era, players are peaking in their late twenties until their mid thirties. Even a player of Pujols’ magnitude and the assumption of perfect health will lose some of his offensive output.
The closest comparison to the offer proposed by Albert Pujols is that of Alex Rodriguez, when he signed his current deal with the New York Yankees in 2008. The terms are $252 million over 10 years, which if completely carried out, would make Rodriguez 42 years old at its conclusion. With A-Rod already showing signs of slowing down, the Yankees may be regretting signing the deal well before they write the final check. The Cardinals cannot afford to take a similar mistake on the chin, for their pockets are not nearly as deep as their counterparts from the Bronx. Having the Rodriguez contract as a source of debate is a double edged sword for the Cardinals in their negotiations with Pujols. They can justify to an angry fan base for letting the face of the franchise leave town by pointing to the injury riddled seasons that have plagued Rodriguez in the past few years. Or the team can use the deal as a stepping stone in finding an agreement that works best for budget concerns and keeps Pujols manning first base as a Cardinal for the remainder of his career.
Lastly, if the Cardinals mortgage its future and sign Pujols to this deal or one very similar to it, the team may have a difficult time rostering competitive personnel. Being that it is not mentioned in the same breath as the richest in the majors, the Cardinals dollar does not go as far as some teams such as the Yankees, Red Sox, or Phillies. While they do not want to let “Mr. Cardinal” leave St. Louis, there may be not enough smiles to compensate for the lack of funds available. Certainly Albert Pujols knows the restrictions that the Cardinals must obey to be a successful franchise, both on and off the field. In short time we will see if its St. Louis immortality or free agency glory that Albert Pujols views as his ransom payment.
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