Catching up with the Cardinals’ off-season

So I’ve been biding my time, waiting, watching, allowing the news to come to me. As I’m sure my loyal readers know (all three of you), it’s been eerily quiet.

Let’s catch up with the goings on…

MVP(ujols)

The announcements are in and Sir Albert has brought home another well deserved MVP Award. You can listen to the conference call, watch video, etc from the link above.

Highlights : Elbow is doing good :)  Will be cleared to do weight lifting soon, but can’t push too much.

Other questions surrounded the fact that the Cardinals didn’t make the playoffs. Was he surprised to win?

Good point made by a Milwaukee reporter that Albert doesn’t strike out like other power hitters. Work hard, patience, trust your hands.  Always learning.

AP reporter asks what does most valuable mean? Not his decision, laughs.

Albert most proud of his batting average. Keeping up all year with these hard throwing pitchers is tough. Hit conistently and the other numbers will follow. Tony set him straight on that importance in 2001. Walks are ok, can’t think about it, try not to expand strike zone.

Elbow pain question, had some pain, tingling later in the year really bothered him, couldn’t feel pinky, concerned about. Surgery was to prevent that from getting worse. 75% of pain was from nerve and not ligament. Still a chance for TJ surgery, but for now things look good.

What should happen to make team better? Bullpen, starting, hitting.  Cards will always put out a team that won’t embarrass you. Give credit to Cubs and Milw.  Didn’t really expect much of an answer on that lol.

Will celebrate with family and kids tonight. Maybe a good night to go to Pujols5!

I think Harold Reynolds says it really well here.

Congrats to Albert Pujols and the St. Louis Cardinals.  Certainly earning a MVP award takes a nice surrounding cast of players.

Will be very interesting to see who that cast is in 2009 :)


Filed Under Albert Pujols, National League, Tony LaRussa

2 Comments | Posted on November 17, 2008 by StLCards | Subscribe!

Cardinals need a Holliday

Ed. Note: My apologies to PHE contributor StLCards, who put this post up a few days ago, and I didn’t even realize it was here.  Please read below.

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Last week amidst all the Jake Peavy rumblings I came across a headline that basically indicated the Rockies were now ready to accept less for Holliday. I instantly started writing a post, but unfortunately by the end of a busy work day that post was left unfinished, so I will start anew.

Today I see many headlines indicating a few things, among them that Peavy is almost certainly going to be moved “The train has kind of left the station”, that Manny is still in play, that Cashman is pursuing pitching, that CC is still available, etc. The teams with the big money, ie Yankees, Cubs, Dodgers, Angels, seem to be pursuing pitching. I’m not sure what the Red Sox are doing right now, although they seem to be pursuing pitching as well in Lowe and japan free agent Junichi Tazawa. What this says to me is, STRIKE NOW for Holliday!

The Rockies want to trade Holliday, Atkins, and Fuentes. That would actually make a nice trio to add if you think about, although the key is to for sure get Holliday. Holliday only has 1 year so we would need to make sure he really wants to stay a Cardinal and get him signed to a quick extension. He would provide an everyday left fielder (Duncan would strictly back up Pujols and be a pinch hitter), provide the much needed protection for Pujols, and would be a huge draw for fans. I’ve dreamed of the day when the Cardinals had a 1-2 punch like that.

Taking a look at the other two Fuentes needs no explanation. Atkins on the other hand, well, we move the versatile Glaus to SS and put Atkins at 3rd. We then sign Orlando Hudson to play 2nd, or how about forgetting infield speed althogether and signing veteran Jeff Kent? How about a lineup of Schumaker, Rasmus, Pujols, Holliday, Glaus, Molina, Kent, Pitcher, Atkins? Wow, do I ever like the sound of that. Kent isn’t an everyday player and Glaus could use some time off as well, so it gives lots of playing time for whichever MI are left. Ludwick and Ankiel and Duncan or whoever else could be traded away. That could be too much money but if they could get something along those lines I’d be very happy. We still have Lopez that can play a variety of positions so Atkins isn’t a requirement to get, and either a power hitting 2B or speed 2B could work. Lots of possibilities once we add Holliday.

The UCB Roundtable on Albert Pujols: El Hombre, El Extension?

So today is my turn in the esteemed United Cardinal Bloggers’ Roundtable discussions taking place this month of October.  I’ve had a great time going back and forth with this red bleeding bunch, no matter agreeing or disagreeing.  While most of the Cardinal fandom is focused on who the Redbirds can add this off-season, I wanted to know what the group thought of keeping (and taking care of) the current face of the Cardinals, Albert Pujols.

Albert Pujols is due to receive $16m for 2009 and another $16m for 2010.  2011 is a club option for $16m.  If you’re John Mozeliak, when do you start renegotiating El Hombre’s contract?  Albert’s never really seemed one to be greedy, but his current contract is clearly beginning to lag behind some arguably inferior hitters.  How much would you be willing to pay annually for his next deal, knowing that the Cards’ ownership seems stuck around the $100m payroll mark?

Most of the answers were not terribly surprising in general terms.  There was a good variety, however, of opinions on when and how much.

Don Daniel - The Redbird Blog

Albert is one of those unique players who means a lot more to a franchise than simply his statistics.  He has been, and will be, the face of the St. Louis Cardinals for an entire generation of Cardinal fans.  So, that being said, I believe the Cardinals’ front office has to do everything they can to ensure that Pujols is a Cardinal for his entire career.

First off, I’m assuming the Cardinals have every intention of exercising the 2011 club option.  So if I were John Mozeliak, I would seek authority from ownership to approach Albert after the 2009 season (or early in the 2010 season) regarding a contract extension. I would not wait until Albert reaches the final year of his deal.  I think approaching Albert early accomplishes two things:  (1) shows loyalty to the player on the part of ownership, and (2) allows the team to budget for its future (i.e., “cost certainty”).  I think, as part of that negotiation, the team should expect to perhaps offer a “raise” for the final two years of Albert’s current deal (even if the money is deferred).

In terms of dollars offered for Albert’s next contract, I think you’d have to use A-Rod as a guidepost.  It’s a crapload of money to be sure, but Albert will be in his early 30s when his current contract expires.  I’d expect he’d want at least a 7-8 year deal (maybe $150-$165M)?  One would hope he’d be willing to offer somce concessions to the Redbirds in order to allow them to remain competitive (e.g., backloading of the contract, deferring money over a 20-year period, etc.).

Scott Deaner - Cardinal Nation Globe

You’re right, Albert has never really seemed one to be greedy, however, he needs to be paid like one of the best hitters in the game and a franchise player. I say, pay him whatever will keep him in St. Louis for the rest of his (productive) career. Also, his personality and work ethic should not be overlooked - he is the epitome of a player to build a team around. I say give him a 7-8 year contract in the mid-$20 million range. Ownership might just have to get over the $100 million mark.

Mike Metzger - Stan Musial’s Stance

I have been a vocal fiscal responsibility voice (”$36 million for Fuentes?!  Are you crazy!?!) in these threads, but in AP’s case, I agree with Deaner.  Pay the man.  Future first-ballot Hall of Famers should play their entire careers for one team.

However, I’m not sure when the appropriate time is to start negotiating his next contract.  I wouldn’t start now; I’b probably wait until the next off-season to initiate discussions, and try to get something done in earnest after they pick up his 2011 option.

Haedar Abuirqeba - Redbird Ramblings

If I could, I’d give AP a blank check and blank number of years and let him fill it out as he wishes because I trust his judgement; he is el hombre after all. that, however, is not very realistic. you gotta have enough money left over to put a decent team on the field day in and day out.

so, I would let things play out for the next two seasons (09 and 10). then, I would start negotiating with AP on an extension late in the ‘10 season or that offseason. if nothing gets done, you pick up the option and negotiate during that final year until you reach a deal. with albert, nothing really concerns me except that elbow. in 2010, he will be 30 years old (only!). so, I would say the cards can give him a six to seven year deal to keep him in a cards uniform for the rest of his career.

now, how much cash are they gonna be dishing out? one has to think that it will be at least 20 million a year; probably around 25 million. if anyone in baseball is worth that money, albert is (when healthy of course).

Daniel Shoptaw - C70 At The Bat

Of course, the longer you wait, the higher the market goes, and inferior hitters start pushing up the prices of the stars.

I’d start now, honestly.  It’s not like Carpenter, where if he does have surgery the whole extension bit is considered a dismal failure.  Even if AP missed all of ‘09, does anyone think management wouldn’t want to extend him anyway?  He is easily the face of the franchise and some days the only thing that keeps many in the fanbase from storming the gates.

How much?  I agree, I don’t think you have to set contract records with AP.  An average of $22-$25 million, though, would probably be reasonable.  He’d still be a bargain.

Scott Deaner - Cardinal Nation Globe (in response to Haedar)

I enjoyed reading your comment about the blank check and trusting Albert’s judgement. I read a biography of Honus Wagner a few years back and apparently the Pirates used to do that with him. Wagner would never ask for a raise, he always wanted, “same as last year.” Honus, like Albert, was a good, honorable man. FYI - That’s why Honus Wagner’s baseball card is so rare and valueable. The card was given out with tobacco products and Wagner didn’t want his name/picture associated with that because he knew that kids looked up to him, so he asked for them to be destroyed. I could see Albert doing something similar.

Mike West - Mike on the Cards

Albert is one of those rarest of rare baseball players.  One that puts up ridiculous numbers year in and year out, but is always striving to get better.  He’s a leader, both on and off the field, making everyone around him better in the process.  Alberts don’t grow on trees, so we should be thankful we get to see him play everyday.

So, I do think it’s very important to keep him around for the rest of his career, and for whatever kind of money it takes.  I’d guess close to $25 million a year, average.  I don’t, however, think it’s necessary to start extension talks with him anytime soon.  I’d say get a deal done before the start of the 2011 season.  I would hope that by then the Cards will have a few more minimum salary guys making major contributions to the club.

John Shelton - The Cardinal Virtue

Pujols = Legend. It is more fiscally responsible to pay him premium. The thing is: Albert is smart too. He knows that moving to another franchise does not help your status. It’s worth several million to stay where you are and be worshipped. I also think he is also aware that the no doubt Hall of Famers–the legends–tend to have spent almost all their career with one team. The team is also aware of the revenue of having a legend play for only them. There are two trains of thought regarding when to renegotiate. If you do it now, you avoid the general inflation and you show that you are appreciative of his top level talent and want to show him that you are willing to pay him accordingly. However, since he is having surgery, you could say that next year is the time to do that so that you can see how that all pans out. Personally, I believe he is more than worth the risk. In summary: It is fiscally MORE RESPONSIBLE to make him one of the highest paid players NOW than to mess around and low-ball.

Eric Ferguson - Bert Flex

I’m not going to get into specific dollars/years, but I agree with the general sentiment that you don’t let him hit the market. Do it quietly in the next 18 months — ideally, we won’t even know about the negotiations until they are already complete.

See you all in Cooperstown for the Albert induction.

Matthew Philip - Fungoes

I’m sure Albert appreciates all the love expressed in your sentiments so far, so I hope I don’t bring everyone down with a little dissent. Albert just finished his age-28 season; he’ll be 29 when the season starts. As amazing as his 2008 campaign was, it probably won’t get any better than that. Remember Bill James’s warning: “Ballplayers, as a group, reach their peak value much earlier and decline much more rapidly than people believe.” True, Albert is an individual and not a group, but he is still mortal and subject to the same laws as everyone else. So here’s what the Cardinals have at minimum: Albert signed at below-market cost for the next three years. He will have played his age-29 -30 and -31 seasons. One thing that I don’t think I’ve seen anyone address is how long an extension should be. One year? Five? At that point, the Cardinals will be dealing with Albert at age 32 onward. That’s not usually a good time to invest (it’s called “buying high”). On one hand, if anyone seems capable of still producing at high levels late in his career, it’s Pujols. On the other, it’s interesting how quickly we forget our lessons of history, namely of Chris Carpenter (extended for his age-34-37 seasons), Mark Mulder and Jim Edmonds (and, though it wasn’t an extension, Scott Rolen). The guy still has three years on his existing deal; I know that the Cardinals have lately tried to leverage their position with players under contract, but let’s let the guy play another year or two before we throw more guaranteed money his way. I’m not arguing that the team shouldn’t try to tack on three more years to Pujols’s present contract, but I don’t think that the Giants-Bonds model (losing team, one aging superstar) is what we want.

Tom Knuppel - Cardinals GM

Albert can and should write his own contract. I know that the money spent can be spread out over many players but none as special as  Pujols. I would give him $25 million a year for another 7-10 years.

Goodness that’s a lot to digest!  Some excellent points, most talking about Albert’s long-term value as a ‘Cardinal Legend’.

My take

While Pip tries to throw water on the fire, I’m going to agree with everyone else that you give this man many years, and you give him many dollars.

In a free agent class that will get Mark Teixeira at least a five year deal that will approach $200mm dollars total, imagine what Pujols would fetch.  Believe it or not, Mang and Tex are the same age, 28.  Anyone think Teixeira is the better player?  The better hitter?  The better fielder?  A better team leader?  Didn’t think so.

I believe that you give Pujols 2009 to see if this recent procedure on his elbow helped matters any.  If it didn’t, he still puts up another MVP-type season.  If it did, who knows what he could do?  Obviously the prospects of putting another fearsome hitter behind Albert in the lineup are slim, but if Ryan Ludwick and Rick Ankiel and even muster cheap impressions of their 2008 seasons, Pujols should be no worse for wear in the protection department.

After the 2009 season, you quietly (I liked the suggestion above to get the deal done with no attention, then quietly announce it) re-up with Pujols, say - six years, $130-150mm.  We could only assume Albert will take it, while likely deferring most of it (as in his previous contract), and finishing his career as a Cardinal.  He is a major buyer of ‘The Cardinal Way’.

Concerned about early decline?  Pujols is a relentless worker, always trying to improve.  It is my opinion that he will last long into his thirties.  Still not convinced?  Structure his deal like the late years with Ozzie Smith.  Basically a lifetime deal, renegotiated year-in and year-out, ultimately ending with a personal services contract that will allow the club to gain some benefit from their paid-out cash on the back end of the deal.

Bottom line, I don’t think you can lose inking this guy to another long-term deal, and the sooner the more reasonable per year cost, I think.  The Cardinals are obviously looking to become more self-sufficient, perhaps even with an eye on what it is going to cost them to retain Pujols for the remainder of his career.  So why not try to cost-control that as soon as possible?

Thanks for reading folks!  Check out all the other great blogs in the United Cardinal Bloggers’ Roundtable, and stay tuned here for links to the rest of the questions and discussions!

UPDATE: Added another response from Tom over at Cardinals GM!

Pray for Pujols’ elbow

Why, you ask?

Because I just read two statements that make me cringe in the same article about the procedure Albert Pujols had on his elbow today.  The first:

Pujols has elbow surgery

Ok, not terribly surprising - and it sounds like it was a lesser surgery, one intended to minimize down time for El Hombre and maximize his ability to avoid Tommy John surgery going forward.

The second statement?

Paletta performed the surgery, according to the team release.

Puke.  I hope Pujols doesn’t wake up with a baboon heart in his shoulder.

(Ok, I know this isn’t really fair, but I don’t trust George Paletta as far as I can throw him.)


Filed Under Albert Pujols, Dr. George Paletta

16 Comments | Posted on October 13, 2008 by PHE | Subscribe!

Vote Albert for MVP

Ok, so I don’t have any great way for you to influence that decision.

What I do have, is a link to a post over at Redbird Review, where John dug up a great article on Page 2 at ESPN.com about the typical responses to Albert Pujols’ chances to win the NL MVP.

Cruise over to Redbird Review and click on the link to ESPN - it’s a great read.


Filed Under Albert Pujols, Cardinal Blogs

8 Comments | Posted on September 25, 2008 by PHE | Subscribe!

Cards stay alive for one more game

As if watching the late-August and early-September swoon of the Cardinals hasn’t been bad enough, it appears no one else wants to take the NL Wild Card spot in the playoffs.  The Mets lost to the Cubs tonight, allowing the Cardinals to mathematically remain “in the race” regardless of their outcome versus Arizona tonight (and I fear they just lost their best chance to win tonight, with Albert Pujols whiffing with men on first and third in the bottom of the seventh).

The Cards are a National League second-worst in their last thirty games, at 11-19 (only the Pirates are worse at 8-22, and three of those wins came in a sweep of the Redbirds).

The odds-on favorite to win the Wild Card not long ago, the Brewers have unraveled at 13-17 in their last thirty.

In short, a playoff spot was there for the taking.  The Mets, Phillies, Florida, and Houston (who could’ve been destined for great things until Hurricane Ike forced them into Bud the Brewer’s backyard) have all capitalized while the Cards have faded out of the conscious of pretty much every discussion.

While out of town over the weekend, I didn’t get to see any of the Cubs series.  The disappointing part, for me, is that I didn’t terribly miss it.  It is a real downer - having poured a ton of energy into this team, this season, this roller-coaster ride - to watch the slow death of such a story.  This season was supposed to be LaRussa’s crowning achievement, his coup de grace, the final feather in the cap of a surefire Hall of Fame managing career, right?  This was going to be the ultimate trump card for TLR - even moreso than 2006 - to thumb his nose at the experts who predicted the Cards were going nowhere fast.

Well, it looks like in a way, both parties were right.  The Cards are going home after game 162.  But if you think that Tony and his band of red-and-white clad misfits didn’t put a scare into some folks in Chicago and Milwaukee, you are sorely mistaken.

Golly, I didn’t really mean this to be an obituary.  For some reason, I can just feel the disappointment flowing out of my fingers right now.

Please don’t interpret this as a criticism of this year’s team.  Don’t read this and think that I’m dismissing what these guys have accomplished, or saying that this year was a failure.  I think the Cards learned a lot about some players they needed a thicker ‘book’ on.  I think (hope) that John Mozeliak learned that the Jocketty Plan - throw a bunch of scrap heap guys against a wall and see which ones stick - is not going to cut it against today’s Cubs and Brewers.  Most of all, we learned that Tony can, and will (even if somewhat forced) use young players in all variety of situations, with games on the line.

To the 2008 Cardinals:  You entertained me, and for that I am grateful.  I can’t think of a season that I have followed and allowed myself such a wide range of emotions over sports in a long time.

At the risk of getting too sappy here about this team (after all, it’s the first one that I’ve documented on this here site), I’m going to cut out here - I plan on sticking with this team through the end of the season - we would expect them to play all out until the end of 162, so I will do the same.  So keep reading for more IN-season analysis.

They might not make the playoffs, but I’m just not ready to close the book on the 2008 St Louis Cardinals just yet.

This is why I don’t manage the Cardinals

I would not have sent Ryan Franklin out for a second inning (although, who I am kidding, I wouldn’t have brought him into a tie game to begin with).

I would have had Felipe Lopez bunting with Brendan Ryan on first and no one out.

I definitely would have had Lopez bunting with Ryan on second with no one out, after a Carlos Marmol balk.

I don’t think I’d have put Brian Barden into such a high leverage situation in his first at-bat with the big club this season, even to sacrifice bunt.  (Although I had to laugh when WGN put up a stat showing that Barden had never sacrificed in 24 (!) Major League at-bats.  24?!?!  Really?  Then I reminded myself that I wouldn’t have brought him up in that situation either.)

Finally, I would’ve had Cesar Izturis laying down a squeeze bunt with Ryan on third and Lopez on second and one out.  Even though the squeeze had to be foremost on the mind of the Cubs and Lou Piniella, Derrek Lee seemed to be playing awfully deep down the first base line, with Iz2 hitting from the left side.

Now for what actually happened…

Franklin walked Jim Edmonds to leadoff the eighth, his second inning, then got a double play and struck out Mike Fontenot to end the inning.

In the Cards’ half of the ninth inning, Lopez worked the count full, fouled off several pitches before taking one in the dirt from Marmol, giving the Birds two runners, first and second, with no one out.

Barden almost broke every finger on his right hand trying to put a bunt down the third base line on the first pitch he saw from Marmol, up and in.  He shook his hand a few times, calmly stepped back in and dropped the next one perfectly, deep enough to make Aramis Ramirez field it.  The Cards had runners at second and third with one out.  So far so good.

Izturis took a couple pitches to run the count 2-0, then swung and missed on a pitch it was clear he was just trying to get in the air and out of the infield.  Then, as if karma chose the Cards for one night out of many when it has shunned this team, Iz2 chopped a weak hopper to second on an excuse-me swing that was just slow enough to allow Ryan, running on the play, to score around the attempted tag of Geovany Soto.

I saw a lot of good things in the three innings I actually got to watch (travel day for me today, didn’t get home until the Cards had tied it 3-3).

I still don’t trust him as far as I can throw him, but Franklin did the job for one night.  Gosh if only he could’ve been that effective for half of his games pitched this year.

Felipe Lopez is hitting .382/.435/.539 since signing with the Cardinals.  I wrote at the time of the signing that if LaRussa, and more importantly guys like Albert Pujols could convince this guy to give a little effort, I thought he might be decent, but probably not enough playing time to make a difference.  I can’t take credit for having the solution that has made him hit since coming over, since if you click the above link, you will see me generally panning the signing just like everyone else, he has definitely made the most of the opportunity.  It will be interesting to see how the Cardinals treat him in the off-season.  Is Lopez any sort of long-term answer in the middle infield?

Lots to like from Brendan Ryan tonight.  The kid has always been a hustle guy from what I’ve seen, but has been in TLR’s doghouse for a long time.  If you look at the replay of Ryan’s jaunt home from third tonight on Izturis’ chopper, there’s lots to love, and plenty to get a guy out of a hard-nosed manager’s doghouse.  Once he took off, Ryan never once looked back to see where the ball was.  It’s a fundamental that every kid learns in Little League, but players seem to lose at the big league level.  Ryan put his eyes toward the plate and didn’t flinch.  Then there was the slide.  Soto had the plate blocked, and the throw wasn’t terribly late or off-target.  There was certainly enough time to stuff a foot-first slide into the shin-guard and make a tag, really putting a damper on the Cardinal rally.  Instead, Ryan dove around Soto on the outside, and made as deliberate a slap in the dead center of home plate in front of the umpire’s face on a close play that I’ve seen in a long time.  Excellent work by a kid who finds himself again trying to secure a spot on next season’s team.

So touche, Tony.  You’re the manager and I’m not.  Tonight, it all worked swimmingly for you.  Tonight…

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