Pujols signs w Angels

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Now, look at this for Albert's perspective. You played out what ended up being a sweet heart deal for the Cards without so much as a complaint and carried the team for a decade. You expect to be rewarded for your service for a close to market value contract when the next one is up and what do the Cards do? They low ball a 5 year deal when the guy is looking for 10 and is obviously worth it to a few teams. I would guess after that offer came out he was probably dead set against returning the Cards regardless of what they raised the offer to. I think it was more pride and anger then greed, but that's just my opinion.

If I was a Cards fan I would be angry with the front office for low balling him initially which from the wifes interview was the start of the problem.

Last spring they offered him 10/$198. He turned it down and his agent repeated the "A-Rod" money crap.

They didn't 'low-ball' a 5 year deal; they responded to his agent's insistence that he wanted an AAV that put him above Howard's; that's exactly what they gave him. They didn't offer it to him over 10 because that would've been foolish. I don't care if other teams are lining up to be idiots; the Cardinals can't do that and expect to compete.

After he again declined, they evidently moved to 10/$210; other reports say they went to 10/$220. The Cardinals refused to big against themselves, I think that's more than fair. Besides, all of this was before the Angels even made an offer. Were the Angels being insulting by sitting it out? Afterall, had the Marlins offered a no-trade clause, the deal would've been signed/stamped before the Angels even made an offer. Evidently he was so important to them that they made sure to wait a bit to make an offer.

From there it was just a petty temper-tantrum on Albert's part. The Cardinals made him several offers that were all plenty reasonable in light of the ROI that an NL team is going to get on a 1b in this late 30s. If that's not good enough for him, then he wanted the Cardinals to pay a premium for past-services rendered.

And their refusal to do so was evidently 'insulting' to him. His 'pride' sent him elsewhere. And if your pride is permanently damaged by the offers that the Cardinals made, then you're really not a 'proud' person; you're a petty narcissist.