If Pujols left as a free agent...

[Jmodene]

Considering that the Cards have made the postseason (and thus had a "chance to win 3 or 4 WS") in five of his eight seasons with the team, and that they have a decent shot at another postseason berth this year, I think Albert is satisfied with the efforts of the FO to date.

Of course, the whole "win 3 or 4 WS" thing is slightly laughable, given that only one team has even won "two" WS over the course of this decade - the '04 and '07 Red Sox. The other WS winners this decade have been the Yankees (2000), D'backs (2001), Angels (2002), Marlins (2003), White Sox (2005), Cards (2006), and Phillies (2008 ).

Indeed, only three teams have even *been* to the WS more than once this decade - the Yankees (2000, 2001, and 2003), the aforementioned Red Sox in '04 and '07, and the Cards in '04 and '06 (yes, the Cards are the only NL team to have been to two WS this decade).

I thiink this whole "Albert's gonna leave if we don't give him a WS-caliber team" is more fans projecting their own wants and desires onto Albert, unless we really think Albert's gonna go to New York or Boston.

(BTW, and this thought has been with me since the beginning of this season, being as this is the 40th anniversary of the "Miracle Mets" of 1969 - do you realize that for a supposely marquis franchise, in the 40 years since 1969, the Mets have only been to the World Series three times since then - 1973, 1986, and 2000 - and have only *won* the World Series once (1986) in the past 40 years?)

[InvincibleCakeEater]

I'd be a gigantic [expletive] fool to trick myself into thinking I'd stop following the Cardinals if Pujols left.

It'd suck. I'd get over it in about a week.

++

I'd probably be pissed for the rest of my life, but I'd still watch game after game and root for wins.

[Adrian Wapcaplet]

I'd still be a Cardinals fan. But I'm also going to go out on a limb here and predict that this is something we won't have to worry about. Albert is a lifelong Cardinal.

[TimeForGuinness]

But I'm also going to go out on a limb here and predict that this is something we won't have to worry about. Albert is a lifelong Cardinal.

I agree...from what I've heard, they are working on a lifetime contract...and they're already in discussions.

[JL21]

But I'm also going to go out on a limb here and predict that this is something we won't have to worry about. Albert is a lifelong Cardinal.

I agree...from what I've heard, they are working on a lifetime contract...and they're already in discussions.

Tim Wakefield has a lifelong contract from the Red Sox. Hmm....

PRECEDENCE! Wakefield set the market for this kind of thing. C'mon, Mo, get Albert down for $4M per for the rest of his life!

[cards2468]

You know what would be interesting... if Pujols signed a life-long contract for $5 mill per and made the FO sign the contract agreeing to spend at least $100 mil on the team next year with that number growing each year based on inflation.

[Cronos]

How much control do you think the Cardinals have, though. I mean, would you rather they give him $40 mil per year and put garbage around him and not be competetive, or would you rather they spend that $40 mil to build a competetive team (theoretically........ I'm not saying those are the only choices, but "what if").

Like I said earlier, I think I would still hand Pujols the blank check.

IMO, Pujols will be a legend by the time his career is over and I think you need players like that to continue to keep the fanbase alive over the inevitable lean years that happen to any franchise eventually anyway.

Albert's not dumb, though. If he truly wants to stay in St. Louis, then he'll realize that if he takes $40 mil a year that not much else is going to be around him and I don't think he wants that.

[clevername]

he seems to be making statements indicating he wants to see the team go out and get players to help him. I think he's smart enough to know that the team can't do that if they're dedicating 40-50% of their budget just to him.

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

The Yankees (among other teams), for instance, can obviously offer more money, and probably offer him a better chance to win. So why shouldn't he go to the Yankees?

They can offer him more money, no doubt.

[Slider]

For now, Pujols belongs to St. Louis, a city where baseball serves as civic hub. The Cardinals have Pujols under contract for next season and retain a $16 million option on him for 2011. During Tuesday afternoon's stir, Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt acknowledged the time is fast approaching to reopen the deal.

"We're going to do everything we can to make sure he remains a St. Louis Cardinal for a very long time," DeWitt said. "He's the whole package. He's not only a great talent as a player. He's a winner. He's a leader. He's what you want as part of your organization."

DeWitt acknowledged there is increased "urgency" to establish momentum for an extension. The most likely starting point will arrive immediately after this season.

"He's been so consistent from Day One. He's going to be consistent for a long time," DeWitt said.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports ... enDocument