"Albert", "El Hombre", "the man", whatever you want to call him, is not looking too good thanks to his agent and recent contract negotiations flap with the St. Louis Cardinals. Pujols is a great player. However, the handling of his "walk year" is not serving him well.
At the end of this season, if he does not sign a new contract with the Cardinals, Albert Pujols becomes a free agent. So, without a lot of explanation, Pujols imposed an arbitrary "deadline" on negotations of this week. The deadline came and went without an agreement.
The deadline became the top national baseball story. Dozens of reporters are hounding Pujols at spring training. Pujols is featured in sportscasts, standing in the center of a pool of reporters, cameras and microphones in his face, saying things like, "you guys don't have a clue", "if people think I'm greedy, they don't know me", and "we are laughing about this, and so are the Cardinals, I think".
Really? Albert, you're not helping yourself. These are rough economic times. The Cardinals have an imbalanced situation and you're debating between $200,000,000 and $250 or $300 million. Fans are paying $9 for a beer. Ownership is considering giving you an equity position in the team while Ballpark Village sits empty.
I'm over the whole thing. Really, was never too worried about it in the first place. Quick, can anyone even name the Cardinals likely starting infield? Probably not. But everyone can name Pujols. Albert, if you leave town for more money, lots of little kids might get their hearts broken. That's your choice. But for the rest of us, there's a lot more to life than your contract. Hey, you just keep telling everyone that they have "no clue".
When this is all done, you might want to find a new agent.
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Every one of those comments was to explain that the public has no idea what the Cardinals have offered him and that everything we've heard is likely false. He's laughing about the rampant and curious speculation that is featured all over the news. Assuming what Pujols said is true, I don't see how his comments affect his character in any way, whatsoever.
Negotiation is about timing and leverage. By creating an arbitrary deadline, Pujols and his agent lose momentum in terms of timing and leverage in terms of pressure.
Instead of setting and passing an arbitrary deadline, Pujols would have been much better off giving the process more time. And keeping a lower profile. And not being put in the media spotlight - all before the season even begins.
There could have been a whole year of building pressure, building momentum, creative negotiation, etc. Insted, there was a big push, a lot of hype, Albert making some rather ham-handed comments, and now, poof, nothing.
I'd say this has cost him dollar value in terms of his contract and good will in the eyes of St. Louis fans.
"Quick, can anyone even name the Cardinals likely starting infield?"
Albert, Skip, Theriot and Freese. Am I missing something? I would hope the "greatest fans in baseball" would be able to come up with this at a minimum.
Or:
Likely starting infield: Pujols, 1B; Schumaker 2B; Greene SS (sigh -- that one about kills me); Freese, 3B; Yadi at catcher.
All of this money BS is what finally turned me off to the game. Yeah, and the ridiculously expensive crappy beer an so-so food. That and the realization--a al Homer Simpson--that it's kind of boring. Of course, I didn't need to stay sober for thirty days to discover that. 'Course, if you enjoy it, don't mind me or my OP.
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