Pujols..ha

[Jmodene]

It may not be so much where a player reaches his historic milestones, but where he had his best seasons. As good as McGwire was in Oakland, he was better in St. Louis, and that's where he gained his greatest fame.

In Albert's case, he'll reach his milestones as an Angel, but his best seasons and greatest fame are still going to be as a Cardinal.

[Secret Weapon]

I think the ps contract is to attempt to get Pujols into the HOF as an Angel, assuming he puts up good numbers there.

I agree with this, or at least keep the focus on Pujols with the Angels during all of his milestones and post career awards:

It’s possible that by that time Pujols might consider himself an Angel more than he does a Cardinal, but as we most recently saw with Andre Dawson being inducted as a Montreal Expo and not a Chicago Cub, players have no say over what team’s cap appears on their Hall of Fame bust. The Hall decides that. So, based on his St. Louis feats, it’s a safe bet that Pujols will be enshrined as a Cardinal.

But, due to his contractual obligations, he won’t be able to really be a Cardinal at Cooperstown during Hall of Fame Induction Weekend.

It’s unlikely Pujols could don any Cardinals gear for photographs. He wouldn’t be able to sign autographs as a Cardinal. And he wouldn’t be able to appear in any capacity that represents the city of St. Louis or his former franchise.

In fact, I wonder how much he’d even be able to say about the Cardinals during his induction speech.

The awkwardness also wouldn’t end in Cooperstown. For five full years after entering the Hall of Fame, Pujols apparently still wouldn’t be able to even travel to

Busch Stadium to be honored until after his personal services contract expires in 2032 – not unless the Angels give him special permission, I suppose.

So, while we all knew this month that Pujols had committed himself to 10 years of playing in Los Angeles, little did we know that he had signed himself into 20 years of exile from St. Louis, as well.

For Cardinals fans, Albert has indeed left the building.

And he’s not coming back.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/12/29/ ... ts-for-20/

[OmahaCard79]

I've said it before, but I just don't see any way in hell Pujols goes in as an Angel.

He'd have to hit about 350-400 homers out there and get about another 1500 hits. If he can pull all that off, maybe. I don't think so though. If he does, good for him. He'll be the greatest player in MLB history by a mile.

Still, do you think that he's likely to reach 800 homers and 3600 hits? If you take into account that Pujols already has 445 homers and over 2k hits wearing the STL, he's going to have to at least come close to matching that to make a strong case for being enshrined as an angel. His career trajectory is down, not up. keep that in mind.

And, this talk of whether the personal service contract will prevent him for coming back for a number retirement and whatnot, that's all TBD. I still see a scenario where the Angels are paying him to play in STL in about 8 years. Do we really know all the specifics of his deal with the Angels? I get a feeling, it's probably contingent on him playing all 10 years in LA. Maybe I'm wrong, but there's alot of if's that have to be met before Pujols is an angel for life, is getting an A on his Cooperstown plaque, and can't come back to STL for a generation.

[jagtrader]

Of course, due to his 10 year personal service contract with the Angels, Pujols wouldn't be able to make an appearance at Busch to retire his number until 5 years after he gets inducted into the HOF.

This is absurd and untrue. Pujols can come to Busch Stadium to have his playing career celebrated after he is retired. He's not going to Angels prison.

[Vidor]

Of course, due to his 10 year personal service contract with the Angels, Pujols wouldn't be able to make an appearance at Busch to retire his number until 5 years after he gets inducted into the HOF.

This is absurd and untrue. Pujols can come to Busch Stadium to have his playing career celebrated after he is retired. He's not going to Angels prison.

Read the article upthread; more than one writer has taken this read of the "personal services" contract. It doesn't seem that outrageous to suggest that a guy under contract to one team couldn't wear gear or attend promotional events for another team.

[Jmodene]

Of course, due to his 10 year personal service contract with the Angels, Pujols wouldn't be able to make an appearance at Busch to retire his number until 5 years after he gets inducted into the HOF.

This is absurd and untrue. Pujols can come to Busch Stadium to have his playing career celebrated after he is retired. He's not going to Angels prison.

Read the article upthread; more than one writer has taken this read of the "personal services" contract. It doesn't seem that outrageous to suggest that a guy under contract to one team couldn't wear gear or attend promotional events for another team.

Albert doesn't have to wear Cardinal gear to attend a number retirement ceremony. Harold Baines was still playing, with Baltimore I think, when the White Sox retired *his* number. And I imagine MLB would not look kindly upon the Angels if they were to forbid Albert from coming to St. Louis for such a ceremony - it'd be as if the Cubs had told Dave McKay that he couldn't get his ring last Saturday during the on-field ceremony. Likewise, at the HOF induction, I can't imagine the Angels being so childish as to forbid Albert from mentioning the Cardinals, especially since the media is going to be there, talking about his career in St. Louis as much (or more) than they will about his career with the Angels, and especially since the HOF will likely have his plaque depicting Albert in a Cardinals cap.

[G. Keenan]

Albert's rocking the old school high socks tonight. Good look for him.

[Radbird]

And he just doubled and scored. He'll get it together.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

And he just doubled and scored. He'll get it together.

Make that 3 doubles. Best game of the year for him. Angels still lost and are already 7 games back of Texas.

[ElGuapo]

Bill Plaschke chimes in

FJM where art thou?